The Sierra Vista Police Department arrested Israel Burkholder of Sierra Vista with felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Murder and booked him into the Cochise County Jail in Bisbee.
No one else has been charged in connection with the murder for hire plot, but the investigation is ongoing by the Sierra Vista Police Department.
Burkholder was a former Deputy with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office. Burkholder was in fact a deputy with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office from February 2004 through March of 2015 after being hired from the Tombstone Marshal’s Office.
Burkholder’s tenure with the Sheriff’s Office came to an end in March of 2015 after he resigned in lieu of termination due to an internal investigation.
Sheriff Dannels said in an address to the Sheriff’s Office staff on Facebook:
“Former Deputy Israel Burkholder was arrested over the weekend by the Sierra Vista Police Department for solicitation to commit murder and other related offenses. Many news outlets have already picked up the story which begins with, “Former Deputy …….”
“I don’t need to tell you how disgusted and disappointed I feel regarding the actions/decisions of Mr. Burkholder. Whenever a former/current law enforcement professional brings discredit and anti-trust to our profession, I (you) who honorably and passionately take our oath and wear the badge, naturally feel these emotions.”
“I am so proud of this agency and those that serve within that serve unselfishly everyday to promote our community’s quality of life. The oath that we all accept is indicative of our “Community Role Model” standard. Those that struggle and/or cannot perform to that level, shall not work within our profession.”