BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WKBW) — Law enforcement in Berkeley County in South Carolina announced a Jamestown homicide suspect, 34-year-old Michael Burham, was taken into custody on Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office announced a manhunt was underway for Burham after deputies made contact with a man matching his description. The sheriff's office said the man gave a false name and ran from deputies on foot. He was able to get away but not before dropping a bookbag with contents that confirmed his identity.
The FBI said authorities credit an observant resident who spotted him near his home and immediately called 911. K9s were used to track Burham and aided in his arrest. No injuries were reported.
Burham is a suspect in the murder of 34-year-old Kala M. Hodgkin that occurred earlier this month in Jamestown. According to court documents, at the time Hodgkin was killed there was an active arrest warrant charging Burham with Hodgkin's rape. The arrest warrant is still active.
He is also a suspect in the alleged kidnapping of two victims at gunpoint. According to court documents, the victims were located alive in a cemetery in North Charleston, South Carolina, and told law enforcement they were kidnapped at gunpoint from their home in Sheffield, Pennsylvania. The court documents state that the victims identified Burham as their kidnapper and said they had seen media reports regarding him.
Their vehicle was located near the scene where they were found and court documents state there was a note found in the vehicle that appears to have been written by Burham which said:
The Berkeley County Sheriff's Department along with the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and other local law enforcement organizations were involved in the search. The FBI was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture of Burham.
“Every single law enforcement team, from Buffalo to South Carolina, was determined and committed to finding this dangerous man. Burham had evaded law enforcement long enough. I am thankful no one was injured and grateful to all the law enforcement agencies that came together and of course, the community members who provided tips along the way. We all came together. Our communities are safer tonight because of those efforts.”
