A false conspiracy idea about Covid-19 vaccines might have pushed a Maryland man to kill three individuals final week, together with his brother, a pharmacist, the authorities mentioned.
The police mentioned Jeffrey Burnham, 46, of Cumberland, Md., killed a longtime household pal, stole her automobile, then drove about 130 miles to Ellicott Metropolis, Md., the place he shot and killed his brother and sister-in-law of their residence.
He had turn into satisfied that his brother, Brian Robinette, 58, was working with the federal government to poison individuals with the vaccines, based on a charging doc filed by the police in Howard County District Courtroom. Rumors and false details about the Covid-19 vaccines have circulated extensively for months, regardless of overwhelming scientific proof that they’re protected and efficient.
Detectives mentioned that Mr. Burnham’s mom, Evelyn, had known as the Cumberland police on Sept. 29, nervous about her son’s psychological well being and his fears that the F.B.I. was after the 2 of them.
Evelyn Burnham, who lived together with her son, additionally mentioned he believed that there was a authorities effort to make use of the vaccines to kill individuals, and that his brother was concerned, the charging doc mentioned.
“He repeatedly acknowledged ‘Brian is aware of one thing,’” based on the assertion.
On Sept. 30, the police in Howard County mentioned they discovered the our bodies of Mr. Robinette within the lobby and his spouse, Kelly Sue Robinette, in an upstairs bed room of their residence in Ellicott Metropolis. Each had been fatally shot.
There have been spent .40-caliber shell casings all through the home, based on an announcement filed by the police in Howard County Circuit Courtroom. Lower than 400 yards from the home, the authorities discovered a automobile that belonged to Rebecca Reynolds, 83, a Cumberland resident who had been buddies with Evelyn Burnham.
The police mentioned that Mr. Burnham, who lived eight miles from Ms. Reynolds, killed her someday on Sept. 29, stole her 2020 Lincoln Corsair, then drove it east to his brother’s home.
Mr. Burnham has been charged with three counts of first-degree homicide and was being held with out bond. It was unclear from courtroom paperwork if Mr. Burnham had a lawyer.
The police mentioned {that a} neighbor of Ms. Reynolds found her physique at about 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, after he went to her home to examine on her.
The person advised investigators that he and Ms. Reynolds spoke every day, and that he was nervous as a result of he had not seen her that day, based on a charging that the Cumberland police filed in Allegany County District Courtroom.
When he walked into the home, the neighbor discovered Ms. Reynolds on the sofa. Her throat had been slit and there was a pillow over her face. A vase and a cane had been knocked over, indicating there had been a wrestle, based on a police report.
The police discovered the Robinettes after they tracked the Lincoln to their tackle.
After killing the couple, the authorities mentioned, Mr. Burnham stole his brother’s pink Corvette and fled. The killings sparked a determined seek for Mr. Burnham whom the police described as “armed and harmful.”
The police mentioned a tipster known as the Maryland State Police and advised them that, at 4:45 p.m. on Sept. 30, Mr. Burnham drove to his residence and requested for fuel.
The person advised investigators that Mr. Burnham had mentioned he “would see him on TV,” based on courtroom paperwork.
“Burnham additional acknowledged that his brother was ‘killing individuals with the Covid shot,’” the police mentioned in courtroom paperwork.
At 9 a.m. on Oct. 1, the police in West Virginia discovered the Corvette and Mr. Burnham on the aspect of a highway in Davis, a small mountain city about 189 miles west of Ellicott Metropolis.
The Howard County police mentioned in an announcement that the West Virginia State Police took him into custody with out incident.