Pennsylvania State Police announced Saturday that they no longer believe Ring doorbell video footage released by police depicts Jamestown murder and kidnapping suspect Michael Burham. Police released the footage on Friday believing it to depict Burham, who escaped from a Warren, Pa. jail last week, walking down a street and then into the woods.
“We received several other tips that are still being vetted, but we can now also say, with relative certainly, that thanks to the public response from that airing, the individual depicted in that video is not Burham,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Saturday.
Police on Saturday asked the public to inform law enforcement if they see any suspicious sightings or empty campsites if they are camping or spending time in the woods near Warren. Officials say they searched and discovered a number of campsites, but none of those are conclusive to Burham. Police are asking residents to check the areas around their homes, including cars and sheds, for any sign of disturbance.
“He is no doubt becoming more desperate and will attempt to acquire the things he needs to survive,” Bivens said.
Officials in Pennsylvania say they have "strong reason" to believe Burham is still in the area.
During the last 24 hours, police say they received several tips in and around Warren. They say at least one tip was promising, but none have been conclusive so far. Police say they believe Burham has injuries he is suffering from.
“I believe it is a matter of time before we find him again,” Bivens said. “Time works against him more than it does against us.”
On Thursday, Pennsylvania State Police released a photo of a stash of items they found in the woods near Warren that they believe belong to Burham.
The reward for information leading to Burham’s capture was increased to $22,000 this week.
Burham was being held on $1 million bail and was charged with kidnapping, burglary and other counts. Burham is accused of killing Kala Hodgkin in Jamestown in May and kidnapping an elderly couple in Pennsylvania.
Investigators believe he is armed and dangerous and say they are interviewing potential accomplices.