Maine Man Arrested in NH for Skowhegan Murder

A Maine man suspected of killing a Skowhegan woman was arrested in New Hampshire after a police chase.

Skowhegan, Maine Man Charged With Murder for the Death of His Girlfriend

Dane Burke, 55, of Skowhegan, was arrested on Saturday in New Hampshire and charged with murder for the death of a woman whose body was found in a Skowhegan home on January 14, 2026.

READ MORE: 19 Maine News Stories That Turned Up in National Headlines

The victim has been identified as Nichole Jackson, 46, of Skowhegan. Officials say Dane Burke was her boyfriend.

Maine State Police Tracked a Skowhegan Murder Suspect to Massachusetts

Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesperson Shannon Moss says an autopsy determined that Ms. Jackson died of blunt force and sharp force trauma and her death was ruled a homicide.

An investigation into her death led the police to identify Burke as a suspect. He was believed to be traveling in a 2018 silver Jeep Compass with Ohio license plates.

Get our free mobile app

At approximately 8:00 am on Saturday, January 18, 2026, the vehicle was found in Lowell, Massachusetts. When the police attempted to pull the Jeep over, Mr. Burke failed to comply.

A police chase ensued that crossed the state line into New Hampshire, where the vehicle left the roadway in Dunbarton and crashed into a tree on Route 13.

Skowhegan, Maine Murder Suspect Arrested in New Hampshire

Following the crash, Burke barricaded himself inside the vehicle. The New Hampshire State Police SWAT Team responded and took Burke into custody at approximately 10:30 am.

He was transported to Concord Hospital with injuries believedto be non-life-threatening, and will be taken to jail once he's released.

Dane Burke is charged with murder and will remain in custody in New Hampshire until he can be extradited to Maine.

We'll update this story as more details become available.