Pharmacist killed by brother who called COVID vaccines poison, Maryland officials say
A pharmacist was shot to death by his brother, who had planned to confront him about COVID-19 vaccines, Maryland officials said.
Jeffrey Burnham, 46, is also accused of killing his sister-in-law and a family friend before he reportedly was arrested last week.
Officials said he had a desire to confront his brother, 58-year-old pharmacist Brian Robinette, about his job and ”the government poisoning people with COVID vaccines.”
As officials investigated the case, someone else reported that Burnham said his brother was “killing people with the COVID shot,” according to court documents.
Health experts have urged people to get coronavirus vaccines, calling them “safe and effective.”
“Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines since they were authorized for emergency use by FDA,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website. “These vaccines have undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.”
On Sept. 30, the Howard County Police Department said Brian Robinette and Kelly Sue Robinette, 57, were found shot to death in Ellicott City, roughly 13 miles west of Baltimore. Their bodies were discovered in a home, which had shell casings throughout it, court records show.
“Burnham drove to the area after committing an unrelated homicide in Allegany County on (Sept. 29) and stealing the victim’s car,” officials said. “Police believe that all three victims were targeted and known to the suspect.”
Rebecca Reynolds, a classmate of Burnham’s mother, was found dead on Sept. 29 after a stabbing, The Baltimore Sun reported. The Cumberland Police Department in a news release said the 83-year-old’s body showed signs of “obvious trauma.”
At the time, police launched a search for Burnham, who was found Oct. 1 in West Virginia. He was taken to jail in Allegany County, Maryland, on murder and car theft charges, according to WBAL.
This story was originally published October 7, 2021 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Pharmacist killed by brother who called COVID vaccines poison, Maryland officials say."
