Sheriff John Burkhart is the head of the Dargerville Sheriff’s Department and the killer of William Timmons. Timmons was a drug informant for the department, so he got off on a charge of raping Dianne Cary. He wanted to come clean to Dianne and tried to tell her in New York City, but Burkhart shot him dead before he had the chance.
The Dargerville justice system waged a campaign against the NYC justice system to protect their own, down to charging Lupo for intervening in the deputies manhandling Rubirosa. When the surveillance tapes showing Burkhart leaving the town were revealed to be tampered with, it was revealed Burkhart’s colleague, State Trooper Thomas Volchek, took the incriminating footage as a personal favor to Burkart and to Volcheck’s boss, New York Governor Donald Shalvoy. Bursary also harassed Dianne’s confidant on the force, Deputy Robbie Linz, into committing suicide with the murder weapon.
McCoy, under risks to his next election campaign, made Shalvoy mail the tapes to the D.A.’s office under threat he’d start investigations the governor couldn’t refuse. Burkhart pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Shalvoy ordered a review of Burkhart’s convictions under McCoy’s opponent, Joe Chapelle. (L&O: “Knock Off”)