Kala Hodgkin

The lengthy sentence for a man previously identified as a suspect in the May 2023 shooting death of a Jamestown woman won’t have any bearing on his possible prosecution locally.

That’s the sentiment of Jason Schmidt, Chautauqua County district attorney, regarding the killing of Kala Hodgkin inside her William Street home last spring.

“I am mindful of the victim’s family and community desire to see justice for Kala,” Schmidt said Tuesday, days after Michael C. Burham — previously known to Hodgkin and who had been sought in connection to her death — was sentenced to between 25 and 50 years in Pennsylvania state prison on kidnapping and escape charges related to the Jamestown homicide. “We get one shot at this and it needs to be perfect,” Schmidt continued. “Nothing less is acceptable.”

Though no charges have been announced, Schmidt said the underlying investigation into Hodgkin’s death has been “substantially complete for months now.” He noted that his office is awaiting results of forensic testing by the FBI in Virginia.

“We periodically check on the status … and have been told multiple times that their forensic laboratories are overwhelmed and we should have our results within a few months,” Schmidt said. “There is no statute of limitations on homicides, and with Mr. Burnham in custody, there is not an immediate need to charge him locally, which would be the case if he were free.”

Burham, who previously resided in both Chautauqua and Warren counties, received the maximum sentence after pleading guilty to charges he was facing in Pennsylvania. Those charges were connected to the kidnapping of a Sheffield, Pa., couple in the days following Hodgkin’s death and for his subsequent escape from the Warren County Jail.

A total sentence of 25 years and two months to 50 years and four months was handed down by Judge Gregory Hammond, who didn’t mince words when describing Burham’s motives in Warren County. “You’ll do anything to anybody to maintain your freedom,” he said.

During sentencing in Warren, Hammond appeared to cite a victim impact statement in the kidnapping case when he said that Burham admitted to murdering his ex-girlfriend.

Burham, 35, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, theft and burglary as part of a negotiated plea in November.

It was his escape from the Warren County Jail in July, though, that sparked a 10-day manhunt that brought the county national and international attention.

Jamestown police were called the morning of May 11 to Hodgkin’s home at 125 William St. for a report of an unresponsive woman. Hodgkin, 34, was later pronounced dead.

Shortly after her killing, police described Burham as being potentially “armed and dangerous.” It’s believed that Burham drove to Warren and camped out for several days before kidnapping two people and driving them to South Carolina. He was eventually captured May 24 and returned to Warren when he escaped just weeks later.

Schmidt said any sentence Burham might receive in Chautauqua County regarding Hodgkin’s death would be added on to his current sentence in Pennsylvania. Online court records show that Burham was transferred from the Erie County Prison to the SCI Smithfield in Huntingdon County, Pa., on Jan. 8.

Reporter Josh Cotton in Warren contributed to this story.