Authorities have been investigating the case since the murder of the 23-year-old woman named Emily Lambert back in 2007. Nearly 14 years later, there has been a significant breakthrough in the case that has finally brought some closure to the victim’s family and friends.
According to officials, Burklund had been a person of interest early in the investigation but was not arrested until recently. The advancement in forensic technology played a crucial role in establishing the link between Burklund and the crime scene, ultimately leading to his arrest.
He is accused of killing 25-year-old Jessica Bejarano, and has been booked in jail on a charge of second-degree murder, CBI said.
Colorado Bureau of Investigation
The suspect is currently awaiting extradition to Colorado, where he will face charges related to the homicide. The arrest has shed light on a case that had gone cold for many years, giving hope to law enforcement agencies and families of other unsolved cases.
“No matter how old or complicated these cases are, our cold case team is dedicated to resolving the most difficult cases no matter how long it takes,” he said.
This case started on April 6, 2007. That day, officers with the Frederick Police Department responded to a call along the 7900 block of Larkspur Circle. When they arrived at the home, they found Bejarano’s body in the bathroom. She had one stab wound to her chest, CBI said.
Her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son were also in the home.
During the investigation, detectives looked at several suspects, which included Bejarano’s husband. He was later cleared because he was at work at the time of the crime, CBI said.
Detectives “ultimately” obtained DNA evidence that appeared to be a match to Burklund, CBI said.
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While no other details are available about what happened between the initial investigation and this month, investigators on Friday conducted a follow-up interview with Burklund in Nebraska, which led to his arrest that same day. CBI is working to extradite him to Colorado.
Burklund, who is now 72, was 54 at the time of Bejarano’s death.
Cece Merrow, Bejarano’s mother, said she is grateful for the work that led to this arrest, saying the family never gave up hope.
“There were so many twists and turns in her case, but we always had faith in the CBI,” she said.
The 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol and the York County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska all assisted in this investigation.
No other details were available as of publishing time.
