Dane Burke remains in police custody, accused of killing his 46-year-old girlfriend in Skowhegan, Maine, in cold blood.
Just a day after her death, he took an unexpected turn 150 miles away in Northwood, New Hampshire.
He walked through the front doors of Barn Dog Inn, a daycare and grooming facility, last Thursday morning, dressed entirely in black. Without a word, he gently placed two senior dogs that he was carrying behind the front counter and abruptly walked away.
No fuss. No interaction with anyone in the room. Just a small note: “Bear, age 11, and Honey Bun, age 9, daughter to Bear.”
One of the dogs looked up at him as he set her down. He didn’t glance back.
Bear and Honey Bun belonged to his girlfriend, Nicole Jackson, whom he is accused of killing on Jan 14.
It took some time for people to piece together the clues and identify the man as Burke, 55.
As soon as the dogs were dropped off, Maureen Cahill, founder and president of Pets Tail Rescue in Northwood, was called about it. She said she was stunned.
“I can’t wrap my head around how somebody could have a history of violence, murder his girlfriend, and yet drop these dogs off at what he considered to be a safe place,” she said.
With assistance from the Northwood Police Department and surveillance footage from the Barn Dog Inn’s reception area, investigators were able to identify Burke. They were also able to confirm that the dogs were registered under his girlfriend’s name.
Two days later, on Saturday, police attempted to stop Burke’s vehicle in Lowell, Massachusetts.
He refused to pull over, sparking a multi-state pursuit that crossed into New Hampshire, police said. The chase ended on Route 13 in Dunbarton, where Burke crashed head-on into a tree.
He was taken into custody and transported to Concord Hospital.
While all this was happening, Cahill took the dogs to the veterinarian, had them microchipped, and placed them in a foster home.
“These sweet, little innocent pups, their tails never stopped wagging,” she said. “They had no idea what was going on. All they want is a soft lap to cuddle on for the past couple of nights.”
Cahill said Jackson’s family, who live in Ohio, had been worried about the dogs and reached out, but the grief of losing Jackson was still too painful for them to take the dogs back.
Now, the hope is that Bear and Honey Bun will be adopted together.
“They are doing exceptionally well, considering what they witnessed,” said Cahill. “Hopefully, love overcomes everything.”