Man Accused Of Killing Brother, His Wife, Ruled Incompetent In HoCo

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A judge in Howard County has ruled that Jeffrey Burnham, 47, is incompetent to stand trial. Two weeks ago, an Allegany County judge also ruled Burnham incompetent to stand trial. Burnham was committed to the Maryland Department of Health after Allegany County Circuit Court Judge Michael O. Twigg signed a court order.

Burnham was arrested in October after police say he shot and killed his half-brother and sister-in-law at their home in Ellicott City, along with an 83-year-old family friend who lived in western Maryland, then stole her car.

According to police, Burnham killed his 58-year-old half-brother Brian Robinette, a pharmacist, because he was giving COVID-19 vaccines that Burnham believed to be poisonous. He also is believed to have killed his sister-in-law, Kelly Sue Robinette, 57, who was at home at the time of the incident.

Burnham was charged with first-degree murder and one count of motor vehicle theft in connection with the Sept. 29, 2001, killing of Rebecca Reynolds, the elderly family friend. Reynold's stolen vehicle was found abandoned, which reportedly led to the discovery of the two victims' bodies inside their home a day after Reynolds' death, Patch reported.

After killing the Robinettes and stealing their 2007 Chevrolet Corvette, police said Burnham drove to Tucker County, West Virginia, where he was arrested Sept. 30 outside a motel.