Murder suspect escapes from Pennsylvania jail
- A manhunt is underway for Michael Burham after escaping from a PA jail
- Warren County Police say Burham has "survivalist skills"
- Burham was being held on homicide and arson charges
(NewsNation) — A manhunt is underway in Warren, Pennsylvania, for an escaped prisoner police say is considered “very dangerous.”
Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are all involved in the search for inmate Michael Charles Burham, after he broke free Thursday night.
Burham was being held on homicide and arson charges and is a suspect in a carjacking and kidnapping investigation.
“Our message right now is the public needs to be very, very cautious. And very, very careful,” the Warren County Police Department said.
Police say Burham used movie-like techniques to break out of prison including climbing up on exercise equipment and using tied-up bedsheets to descend from the building’s roof. Police say Burham has “survivalist skills” and is very dangerous. He was last seen wearing orange and white overalls, a denim jacket and crocs.
The prison is located in northern Pennsylvania, about 18 miles from Jamestown, New York, just outside Allegheny National Forest.
Burham is accused of killing a 34-year-old woman in Jamestown in May. He avoided police for weeks after the incident, which eventually turned into a multi-state manhunt. He also allegedly kidnapped and carjacked an elderly couple in Pennsylvania and was previously arrested in South Carolina.
Now, the hunt to re-capture Burham is on once more as authorities continue to expand the radius of their search.
“The law enforcement are pursuing all leads and they appreciate the public’s tips that are coming in. Right now, I’m not sure what the radius is, it will be expanding as time goes on,” the Warren County Police Department said.