YORK, Neb. (KOLN) – After nearly 18 years, a Nebraska man has been arrested in connection with a 2007 homicide in Colorado. Darrell Burklund, 72, was apprehended on Friday in York and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Jessica Bejarano.
Burklund, a former maintenance worker, was 54 years old at the time of the crime. He will face an extradition hearing before being transported back to Colorado to face charges.
On April 6, 2007, Frederick police responded to a call at a home in Frederick, Colo., where they discovered Bejarano’s body in the bathroom. She had suffered a fatal stab wound to the chest. At the time, Bejarano’s young children, a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son, were in the house.
Despite initial suspicions about various suspects, including Bejarano’s husband, DNA evidence eventually led investigators to Burklund. After interviewing him on Friday, he was arrested and taken to the York County Sheriff’s Detention Center.
“This arrest is the result of years of diligent work by our investigators and is a step toward justice for Jessica and her family,” said Chris Schaefer, CBI Director. Schaefer, who was among the original agents assigned to the case, emphasized that no case is too old for resolution.
Burklund’s arrest was assisted by the Frederick Police, the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Bejarano’s mother, Cece Merrow, expressed her gratitude for the unwavering efforts of the CBI. “We never gave up hope,” she said. “There were so many twists and turns, but we always had faith in the CBI.”
