Michael Burham

Michael Burham has been extradited back to New York State.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt sent out a brief notice that Burham appeared Wednesday in Federal Court after being extradited from South Carolina following a two week manhunt.

Schmidt is expected to provide a full update on the status of the case this morning.

Burham allegedly kidnapped an elderly couple in Pennsylvania, who he appeared to have drive him to the southern state.

He was previously charged by Jamestown Police with 1st Degree Rape, which resulted in a warrant being issued for his arrest on April 27. Jamestown Police then charged Burham with 3rd Degree Arson following an incident on Fulton Street on May 11. He is also a suspect in an ongoing homicide investigation arising from the death of Kala Hodgkin which occurred on May 11 as well.

Michael Burham

The Chautauqua County District Attorney says Michael Burham may not be extradited back to New York State for another week.

DA Jason Schmidt sent an update to media Wednesday morning due to numerous inquiries.

Burham is currently being held in South Carolina after being taken into custody following his alleged kidnapping of an elderly couple in Pennsylvania, who he appeared to have drive him to the southern state.

Burham was previously charged by Jamestown Police with 1st Degree Rape, which resulted in a warrant being issued for his arrest on April 27. Jamestown Police then charged Burham with 3rd Degree Arson following an incident on Fulton Street on May 11. He is also a suspect in an ongoing homicide investigation arising from the death of Kala Hodgkin which occurred on May 11 as well.

On May 25, Burham appeared before a South Carolina Magistrate where he waived any objection to his extradition on the Federal warrant.

Schmidt said in a statement that it was his, “..understanding that the U.S. Marshals Service is handling his transport back to the Western District of New York and that his ETA is not yet clear. It may take another week or two, if not more, before he is back in New York.”

Schmidt added that he is in contact with the Pennsylvania and Federal prosecutors and they are coordinating the respective prosecutions. He said, “Ms. Hodgkin’s death is obviously the most serious event in this tragic chain of events and it is critical to all of us that we proceed diligently but very carefully, especially given our discovery obligations in the face of an investigation that spans across multiple states and multiple law enforcement agencies.”

Michael Burham

The suspect in the death of a Jamestown woman will be extradited back to New York State.

WIVB reports 34-year old Michael Burham made an initial appearance Thursday in federal court in South Carolina. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina says Burham waived extradition and a preliminary hearing and will be heading back to New York to face a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Burham was arrested in South Carolina near the Berkeley-Charleston county line Wednesday afternoon. Authorities credit an observant Berkeley County resident who spotted Burham near his home and immediately called 911. Responding law enforcement agencies used K-9s to track Burham, which aided in his arrest. No one was injured when Burham was taken into custody.

A federal arrest warrant from the United States District Court, for the Western District of New York, was issued for Burham on May 22, 2023, after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Burham was also wanted for state warrants out of New York and Pennsylvania.

Burham was on the run after a spree of alleged crimes, which include rape and unlawful imprisonment. He was also wanted for kidnapping an elderly couple in Pennsylvania. The couple alleges,

Burham kidnapped them from their home, drove them to North Charleston, South Carolina and released them. The couple was not harmed.

Jamestown Police have also been searching for Burham as a suspect in the death of 34-year old Kala Hodgkin on May 11.

(Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office)

The suspect in a Jamestown homicide has been captured following a manhunt in South Carolina.

Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis announced the arrest of 34-year old Michael Burham Wednesday afternoon.

Lewis said a 9-1-1 call received Wednesday afternoon from a citizen who spotted Burham on their property led to law enforcement searching the area and taking Burham into custody just after 5:00 p.m.

Burham is a suspect in the death of 34-year old Kala Hodgkin at 125 William Street. He’s also the suspect in the kidnapping of a couple from Pennsylvania that involved the couple driving Burham to North Charleston, South Carolina. He is also wanted on rape charges from a previous case.

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office will continue to assist the FBI with this case.

North Charleston Police in South Carolina put out a notice to the public to be on the look out for 34-year Michael Burham after police were in contact with two people who said Burham kidnapped them from their home in Pennsylvania.

Jamestown Police are looking for Burham in connection with the death of Kala Hodgkin at 125 William Street on May 11.

Jamestown Police are working with Pennsylvania State Police, authorities in North Charleston, South Carolina, and the FBI regarding the Michael Burham case.

Burham is still considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with any information regarding Burham is still asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department immediately at 716-483-7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.

Jamestown Police have now issued an arrest warrant for 34-year old Michael Burham in connection with the May 11th vehicle fire on Fulton Street. He’s also a suspect in the May 11th death of 34-year old Kala Hodgkin at 125 William Street.

In addition to the previous warrants of first degree rape and second degree unlawful imprisonment, Burham is wanted for Third Degree arson, Fourth Degree Criminal Mischief, two counts of Second Degree Criminal Contempt, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

Crime Stoppers of Western New York has also issued a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of Burham.

Jamestown Police say Burham is considered armed and dangerous and urge anyone who sees him to call 9-1-1 immediately and do NOT approach or try to apprehend him.

Information to Crime Stoppers can be reported anonymously by calling 716-867-6161, through the “Buffalo Tips” app or by visiting www.crimestopperswny.org
Crime Stoppers requests that tips NOT be submitted through Facebook.

Anyone with any information regarding Burham is also still asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department at 716-483-7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.

Jamestown Police

34-year old Kala Hodgkin was killed early on Thursday, May 11 at 125 William Street.

Jamestown Police have confirmed that 34-year old Michael Burham is a suspect in that homicide.

They ask anyone who sees Burham or know of his whereabouts to call 911 immediately and that people should not approach him as he’s considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with any information regarding Burham is still asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department immediately at 716-483-7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.

Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson provides information on incidents (May 11, 2023)

An investigation by Jamestown Police is ongoing after a woman was found dead on William Street.

Police Chief Tim Jackson said officers were called to 125 William Street around 4:30 a.m. Thursday for a report of a unresponsive female, who was determined to have died.

Jackson said police are seeking 34-year old Michael C. Burham, who is considered armed and dangerous. He is described as a white male and weiging 160 pounds. Police believe he may be in the Jamestown or Warren, Pennsylvania area. Following an anonymous tip, police did locate the pick-up truck that belongs to Burham.

Police are not yet releasing the name of the woman who died or any further details about that case.

At a press conference late Thursday afternoon, Chief Jackson also shared that officers were called to a car fire on Fulton Avenue at 4:33 a.m. Thursday. Jackson said an incendiary device caused that fire. He said the owner of the car has been located but would not comment on if that incident was connected with the death on William Street.

Anyone with any information regarding Burham is asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department immediately at 716-483- 7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.

Michael C. Burham

Michael C. Burham

Jamestown Police are seeking a man considered armed and dangerous.

Police want to speak with Michael C. Burham regarding an incident that happened early this morning. He is believed to be in the Jamestown and Warren, Pennsylvania area.

Anyone with any information regarding Michael is asked to contact the Jamestown Police Department immediately at 716-483- 7537 or the anonymous tip line at 716-483-8477. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.

Rev. Chloe Smith (left) talks with Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist (center) and Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings (right) during a Black Lives Matter rally in Dow Park Sunday, May 31, 2020.

JAMESTOWN – There were two rallies that took place in Jamestown on Sunday as part of the series of national protests taking place across the country. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Nearly 200 people were at Dow Park at noon to express solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and to also share concerns about how law enforcement deals with minorities in the community. Leading the rally at noon was Rev. Chloe Smith from God and Zion Tabernacle Church, who urged the community to come together and work with public officials to improve the relationship between police and its residents.

“We are demanding a change starts in our city and we are going to be proactive. We are not going wait until something bad happens. We want the change now,” Smith said, speaking to those in attendance. “We’re not going to be reactive, having the protests after something happens. We want the communication with our law enforcement now! We want to conduct with our law enforcement now!”

Other members of the faith community, including Pastor Roy Ferguson of the Busti Church of God, were also on hand to share support.

“All of us who are not a person of color, whether we want to believe it or not, we have privilege. We need to leverage that privilege to love our neighbor as ourselves, and everyone including persons of color are our neighbors.  We need to leverage that privilege. We didn’t ask for it but we were born with it and we need to use it to bless those who God has created equal in his sight,” Ferguson told the crowd.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist, Police Chief Harry Snellings and Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone all attended the rally, along with some members of the Jamestown City Council. Sundquist, the chief and the sheriff also spent nearly 45 minutes talking to attendees to respond to their questions and concerns.

Sundquist said he felt it was important to be at the event and show support with those who were attending.

“As communities across the country start to protest and start to demand more things, we wanted to let our entire community know that myself and our entire police force are hear to listen actively and to start to make changes to be more inclusive here in the city,” Sundquist said.

A crowd gathers around city of Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings and Mayor Eddie Sundquist as the two answer questions during a Black Lives Matter rally on May 31, 2020

Some of those concerns focused on hiring more minority officers in the Jamestown Police Department, along with working to ensure officers who work for the city also live within the city. Others also expressed frustration over feeling like they are being specifically targeted by law enforcement for no other reason than the color of their skin.

When asked how man officers live in Jamestown, Snellings said 25 of of the 62 members of the Jamestown Police Department are residents of Jamestown.

“So 25 out of the 60 officers actually live in the city? That is not community policing. We need community policing. If [an officer] does not live in Jamestown, you are coming in and you are enforcing a law. You are not part of the community. You are an occupying force,” stated Justin Hubbard, a city resident who was in attendance. “I will not be occupied any more. How are you going to fix that?”

Afterward, Mayor Sundquist said the city will be continuing to meet and talk with the community and work toward addressing some of the concerns brought up at the rally, including having more officers who reside within the city.

“It’s very difficult unless its negotiated [into a collective bargaining agreement] or certain local laws are passed. But we’re trying very hard to encourage our residents to apply for those positions and to be part of our community. We’ve talked about incentivizing that for every employee in the city.  It’s a process. I’ve only been on the job for five months so we’re trying very hard to deal with things as they come up,” Sundquist said.

Chief Snellings also said that while he supports hiring more minority officers, it can be difficult when the city receives few, if any, applications In response, one attendee suggested the police department work harder at encouraging young minorities within the community to pursue careers in law enforcement.

When asked if they felt George Floyd was murdered by the Minneapolis Police Officer, Snellings and Quatrone both acknowledged the the restraint being used wasn’t standard procedure and shouldn’t have been used, but both stopped short of saying it was murder, saying there could have been other factors at play that may have resulted in death. Mayor Sundquist did say that it was murder, based only on what he saw and the information he knows about the case.

A second rally took place at City Hall on Sunday night, beginning at 6 p.m. and continuing until just before 11 p.m. While there was a large gathering in front of city hall on East Third Street near the intersection with Spring, it appeared to be a peaceful event with no damages or arrests reported at that location. However, later in the evening, shortly before midnight, city police did say two men were arrested following an altercation with another group in an area near E. Second and Pine Streets.

Police say 32-year-old Jason Burham of Ashville and 31-year-old Michael Burham of Russell, Pa. were taken into custody on charges of disorderly conduct and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.