Inmate suspected of homicide escapes from a Pennsylvania jail using bed sheets

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Authorities are currently in pursuit of a highly dangerous inmate who managed to escape from a jail in northwestern Pennsylvania using makeshift bed sheets, according to officials.

The escaped inmate, Michael Burham, was last seen dressed in a blue denim coat, white and orange pants, and orange shoes, as disclosed by Warren police on Friday.

Prior to his escape, Burham was detained on charges related to arson and burglary and was also a prime suspect in an ongoing homicide investigation. Police further revealed that he was connected to a previous incident involving the carjacking and kidnapping of a local couple.

A public alert has been issued urging people to exercise caution and promptly report any suspicious activities. In a Facebook post, the police emphasized that Burham is considered highly dangerous.

Officials provided details of the inmate’s escape, explaining that he utilized exercise equipment to climb and employed bed sheets that were tied together to facilitate his getaway.

A similar incident occurred two decades ago in a different part of the state. During that escape, an inmate facing murder charges managed to exploit a poorly executed repair job on a seventh-floor cell window in Luzerne County prison. By fashioning a rope from bed sheets, the inmate descended from the cell. The window, which had been repaired after a failed escape attempt in 1989, was secured inadequately with caulking and featured two undersized panes that could be easily broken.

The fugitive, Hugo Selenski, successfully evaded capture for three days following the October 2003 escape before voluntarily surrendering. Another inmate sustained injuries during the attempted escape and was subsequently apprehended. While Selenski was acquitted of two murder charges in a 2006 trial, he was convicted of two separate murders in 2015 and is now serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

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