By Jessica Schladebeck
New York Daily News
WARREN, Pa. — A hero dog key in locating escaped inmate Michael Burham will get a $2,000 reward for his role in recapturing the suspected killer.
Ron and Cindy Ecklund were enjoying a typical Saturday afternoon in their backyard when they heard Tucker, their chocolate Labrador mix, barking in the woods behind their home. After calling out to their dog several times, the couple hopped in their golf cart and drove down to the creek on their property to find him, according to Erie News.
The pair expected to run into a group of animals or fisherman — instead, they came face-to-face with Burham.
“I say, ‘Well, what are you doing?’” Ron recalled. “He says, ‘Camping.’”
Both Ron and Cynthia immediately recognized Burham — a self-proclaimed survivalist and former military reservist — from ongoing news coverage about his prison break. He escaped Warren County Jail on July 6 through a hole in the gated covering of a rooftop exercise room.
Burham was being held at the facility, not far from the Pennsylvania border with New York, on arson and burglary charges. He is also a suspect in a homicide and rape case in Jamestown, N.Y., according to local authorities.
“I said, ‘Cindy, get back in the cart. Let’s go,’” Ron told Erie News. “I said, ‘Okay, have a nice day.’ We started driving back, and I said, ‘Dial 911.’”
Police tracked Burham as he moved through and attempted to hide in the woods. He was arrested at gunpoint by officers from the U.S. Marshalls, Customs and Border Protection, and NY State Police.
In addition to the $2,000 reward, Tucker was also gifted a steak dinner.
“He’s been eating very well,” Cynthia said. “He’s a hero.”
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