Police in Warren County, Pennsylvania, believe a bag covered by a tarp and stuffed under a log likely belonged to an inmate who escaped fr...
Police in Warren County, Pennsylvania, believe a bag covered by a tarp and stuffed under a log likely belonged to an inmate who escaped from prison last week.
State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens, in a daily update about escaped inmate Michael Burham, 34, told reporters on Thursday that this is just the latest stockpile they have found during their search.
“It contains clothing, some food and some other materials that someone might need if they were trying to exist in the woods,” Bivens said, according to CNN. “We do believe that this one was his.”
The bag was found outside the city of Warren, but Bivens wouldn’t elaborate on more specific information. He suggested anyone out hiking or biking to keep an eye out for similar bags. Even though Warren is near the Allegheny National Forest, authorities are not shutting down access.
Investigators have described Burham as a survivalist and believe he is still in the area.
More than 200 officers from 15 federal, state, and local agencies have joined the search for Burham, ABC News reported.
Warren County Commissioner Jeff Eggleston said during a press conference that he had viewed surveillance footage of Burham’s escape, describing the inmate as being “like a spider” when he used exercise equipment to help him reach a window, which he then climbed down with a rope made from bedsheets.
Eggleston said prison staff responded to the escape within seconds, but Burham was too quick, and reportedly fled the building in just 10 seconds.
At a press conference on Wednesday, authorities in Pennsylvania assured the public they are making progress.
“I personally believe we are on the right track here,” Bivens said at that press conference, according to WGRZ. “We will follow any lead anywhere.”
“We have additional information that we have gleaned recently that causes me to have additional concerns that he may be armed,” Bivens added, according to WIVB.
Investigators also said at the press conference that a drone may have been flying over the prison on the night Burham escaped, with authorities looking for the operator and wondering if they could have been an accomplice of Burham’s.
“I’m not a big believer in coincidences,” Bivens said at the press conference. “It could be that there was a perfectly innocent and reasonable explanation. It could also be that it was somehow connected to his escape. And we intend to find out more about that.”
Burham was being held on $1 million bail for charges of kidnapping, burglary, and other charges. He is also the prime suspect in the May 11 murder of Kala Hodgkin, 34, as well as a related arson. He’s also accused of abducting an elderly couple in Pennsylvania.
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