Labrador Receives $2,000 Reward For Helping Catch Fugitive Michael Burham

A Pennsylvania dog is being rewarded after playing a key role in catching fugitive Michael Burham.

It all started when a chocolate Labrador mix named Tucker started barking at the edge of the yard.

Ron and Cindy Ecklund immediately grew curious about what Tucker was barking at. Speaking with ABC News, Ron said: “Usually, if I call him, he comes right back to the house. He wouldn’t, so I said, ‘Cindy, let’s get on the golf cart.'”

While the couple expected to find a fisherman or hiker near the creek along their property, they discovered someone else entirely: Michael Burham.

As the couple approached the area of the woods where Tucker was barking, they spotted a man. Ron said: “Suddenly, this person stands up, and it’s Michael – I recognize him right away.”

News outlets have been sharing photos of Burham, including pictures of tattoos, in hopes that he might be identified.

Naturally, Cindy and Ron quickly fled the area, remembering warnings from police that Burham could be armed or dangerous. They called the authorities, and Burham was arrested shortly after.

Tucker, along with Cindy and Ron, were awarded $2,000 for their help with the arrest.

According to the New York Times, 34-year-old Burham was being held in the Warren County Jail in Pennsylvania on kidnapping, burglary and related charges. He was also a murder suspect in a homicide investigation. He’d been held in jail since May, but he escaped on July 6.

He reportedly used exercise equipment to climb onto the roof of a building and shimmied down the roof using bedsheets he’d tied together. Police are still investigating whether or not Burham had help with the escape.