DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — FBI agents have joined the manhunt for Robert Burton, who is wanted in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend in Parkman in early June and has evaded capture for 45 days.
“We are assisting the Maine State Police,” Special Agent Kristen Setera of the FBI Public Affairs office in Boston said early Monday.
She declined to say how many agents have been dispatched to Maine, when they arrived or what their purpose is, referring all questions to Maine State Police officials because they are leading the search. Messages left Monday for Lt. Troy Gardner, commander of the state police Major Crimes Unit North, were not immediately returned.
Burton, 38, also known as Robert G. Elliot, is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Stephanie Ginn Gebo, a single mother of two, whose body was discovered in her Parkman home on June 5, a week after their relationship ended and the day after his probation for previous domestic violence crimes expired. Burton has a lengthy criminal record that includes more than 10 years in prison for domestic violence crimes.
Ginn Gebo’s father, Vance Ginn of Abbot, said he believes Burton is still in the area. “He’s not leaving the area. I think if he goes out of the area, he’ll be lost,” he said recently.
“Don’t underestimate the size of the area,” Ginn said. “He knows it like the back of his hand. He knows where all the good drinkable water is. He learned from the last time he was out there and he’s not making the same mistakes he did last time.”
In 2002, Burton was on the run for 12 days after threatening a woman with a rifle and knife before fleeing into the woods. He was found at an abandoned camp in Willimantic.
Ginn has confidence that the Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service, Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office personnel and any others assisting in the search will find Burton.
“I feel they are going to get him, it’s just a matter of time,” Ginn said. “He can only survive for so long. He’ll drink the wrong water and that will be his mistake.”
The most recent confirmed sighting of Burton that police have released information about happened on July 6 around noon at a camp on Point Road in Guilford. A photo of Burton was captured by a nearby home monitoring system that shows him wearing camouflage and carrying his black backpack on his front.
Law enforcement officials believe Burton has been hiding out in camps and in the thick woods of Piscataquis County, where he grew up.
Burton is considered armed and dangerous. He broke into Ginn Gebo’s house and was shot by her before he was able to get the gun away from her and use it to kill her, Piscataquis County Sheriff Goggin told WVII TV earlier this month.
Burton is 5-foot-11, about 180 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He sometimes wears glasses and last was seen wearing camouflage clothing and carrying a dark-colored backpack. He has two very noticeable tattoos on the back of his hands, a shamrock or clover on his left hand and the word “Outlaw” on his right.
Those with information about Burton’s whereabouts are asked to call state police at 973-3700 or 911. A reward of more than $3,300 is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
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