Police Say Longtime Community Member Kills Wife, Shoots Daughter Before Killing Self

Dundalk community stalwart James "Reds" Burnham killed his wife, shot his newly married daughter and turned the gun on himself with a fatal shot Saturday morning at the family home in West Inverness, Baltimore County police confirmed Saturday.

Police reported that two people were dead and another injured in a domestic disturbance in the central Dundalk neighborhood.

Police have identified the deceased as husband and wife, James "Reds" and Terri Burnham.

An injured person found outside the house by police when they arrived on the scene was identified as Shannon Nicklas, 25, daughter of the Burnhams.

Nicklas, who was married a week ago, suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body and was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She is expected to survive her injuries, according to officer Shawn Vinson, Baltimore County police spokesman.

Police were called to the home in the 8200 block of Kavanagh Road at about 3:30 a.m. for a report of a domestic disturbance, Vinson said Saturday morning.

"There was a group of people in the house and the husband and wife were upstairs," Vinson said in a phone interview. "They heard a commotion and the daughter went upstairs to check on them."

The group of people then heard one gunshot and the daughter came running down the stairs with a gunshot wound to her upper body, Vinson said.

Everyone ran from the house and 911 was called, he said. Upon leaving, they heard an additional gunshot, Vinson said.

Officers and a tactical unit reported to the house, where a barricade situation lasted about two and a half hours, according to Vinson.

The tactical unit then made the decision to enter the house, where the couple was found dead.

"On the second floor, a woman was found with multiple gunshot wounds and a man was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound," Vinson said. "Both were pronounced dead at the scene."

Police also found a man in the basement who apparently slept through the incident, Vinson said.

The Burnhams were longtime members of the Dundalk community and were well-known in social circles. Reds Burnham, 51, was a key organizer of the North Point Horseshoes League, which has grown in popularity over the past few summers. Terry Burnham, 47, helped her husband keep records for the league.

The couple also arranged local NASCAR-related activities and were known fans of the Baltimore Ravens.

The Burnhams had temporarily separated a few days before their  daughter's wedding, and Terri Burnham had returned to the family home Friday night, according to friends familiar with the situation.