In The News

Recent Albright grad's body found after daylong search

2011-07-23T23:51:21Z

Blue Marsh Lake outside of Reading in Berks County, PA.

Reading Eagle: Tim Leedy
Donald Wilcox of Lenhartsville and Alexandria, a dog trained to detect bodies, take part in the search Friday at Blue Marsh Lake for Samuel Burlacu of Reading PA

Reading Eagle: Tim Leedy
Donald Wilcox of Lenhartsville prepares Alexandria, a dog trained to detect bodies, for Friday's search at Blue Marsh Lake for Samuel Burlacu of Reading.

(From Reading Eagle.com)
Burlacu was swimming with a friend about 6:30 p.m. Thursday in North Heidelberg Township, near the Old Church Road bridge.
After jumping into the water several times from a rock ledge near the bridge, Burlacu and his friend attempted to swim across a portion of lake.
About halfway across, Burlacu began to struggle and went under in about 20 feet of water.
Divers searched the water for about 21/2 hours Thursday before darkness forced them to stop.
The search resumed about 9 a.m. Friday with fire department boats equipped with sonar and a dog trained to detect submerged bodies. Then the divers returned.Divers found Burlacu's body 18 feet below the surface about 4:55 p.m. Friday. Berks County Deputy Coroner Jonn Hollenbach pronounced him dead at the scene at 5:20. An autopsy was schedule for this morning at Reading Hospital, Hollenbach said.

K-9 Units Give Closure To Famly

2011-04-01T20:44:28Z

CLICK to see WFMZ PhotosOn Wednesday February 10th, 2011 at 10:45pm an aging 1920s era cast iron natural gas line exploded. The explosion leved two houes caused a massive blaze. In all 8 homes were lost and 16 damaged and 5 people lost their life.

Thursday morning Officer Leif Henry of Allentown Police Department put Don Wilcox with K9 Alex and Dave Balmat with K9 Lucas on stand by to search for the last victim to this horrible event.

At approximately 4:30pm both K9 units were authorized to enter disaster scene and begin a search. In less than 10 minutes K-9 Lucas indicated on a specific area. This was confirmed by K-9 Alex that was working another adjacent area, and indicated on the same specific area as K9 Lucas. The find was then later confirmed by Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim and the Allentown Fire Chief.

Don Wilcox with K9 Alex on site

The K-9 units did not receive any compensation for their services. Their duty is of honor and respect to the victims and their families in helping them find closure to the death of their loved ones.Dave Balmat with K9 Lucas

Consummate K-9 Called To Assist In Homicide Investigation

2010-09-03T23:13:20Z

Consummate K-9 Training's founder Dave Balmat and K-9 "Lucas" were called in to do cadaver search in Muhlenberg Township PA. Balmat and Lucas searched the former home of Michele G.M. Kalina at 218 Raymond St. in Muhlenberg Township on Saturday morning. Kalina is charged with three cases of abuse of corpse after three sets of human remains were found in her Reading apartment.

By Darrin Youker

Reading Eagle

Investigators with the Berks County District Attorney's office on Saturday searched a Muhlenberg Township home where Michele G.M. Kalina once lived, but found no additional evidence of human remains.

Using a cadaver-sniffing dog, investigators searched the home in the 200 block of Raymond Street in Hyde Park where Kalina lived until 2008. As part of the investigation, police said they wanted to make sure there was no additional evidence at her former home.

"It is Cop 101," said Sgt. Robert F. Johnson of the district attorney's office, meaning a basic of investigating a case with unusual circumstances.

"We want to make sure nothing is missed," he said.

Kalina was jailed last week after investigators said she had stored three sets of human remains inside containers in a closet at her apartment in the 700 block of Court Street, authorities said.

Kalina, 44, stored the remains in plastic containers, police said. They said the remains could range from those of a 5-month-old fetus to a 1-month-old infant. A third set of remains was found encased in a cement block.

Kalina is facing three counts of abuse of a corpse and remains in Berks County Prison in lieu of $5 million bail.

Using the canine dog of a volunteer who is trained in search and rescue operations, investigators combed through the home and backyard Saturday morning. The dog was specifically trained to find remains, including those that have been buried for some time, Johnson said. Authorities were at the home for about a half hour as the dog and its handler searched the area.

Investigators do not have a clear picture of when the deaths occurred or how long the remains were stored in the containers, Johnson said.

Authorities expect to receive results of DNA testing on the remains in two weeks. Causes of death have not been determined.

Reading Eagle: Susan L. Angstadt Marc Creary of the district attorney's office, left, follows a cadaver-sniffing dog and his handler Saturday morning at the former Muhlenberg Township home of Michele G.M. Kalina.

Authorities work to identify remains found near Hegins

2009-09-05T10:00:00Z

Authorities work to identify remains found near Hegins article from the republicanherald September 5, 2009. The "cadaver dog" mentioned in the article is Lucas, one of Dave's personal dog's and a Kanto son, certified at 11 months of age as an area search dog through www.nasar.org. Lucas continues to work in the area in a number of diciplines

By FRANK ANDRUSCAVAGE (Staff Writer fandruscavage@republicanherald.com)
Published: September 5, 2009

HEGINS - Authorities are trying to determine if human remains found Monday in a wooded area of Frailey Township are those of a Lebanon County man reported missing last month.

State police Trooper Bernard Walasavage of the Schuylkill Haven station said the remains were found near the junction of Interstate 81 and Route 25.

Walasavage said troopers from his station are working with the Harrisburg station in the investigation into the disappearance of Keith Wiest, Grantville, who was reported missing by his family Aug. 11.

A vehicle owned by Wiest was found at the intersection of the two highways, and Harrisburg troopers requested assistance from Schuylkill Haven, Walasavage said.

He said that on Aug. 24, troopers contacted Consummate K-9 Training of Andreas for assistance with a search of the area using both search and cadaver dogs.

On Monday, Walasavage said the dogs were combing the area and, about 9:45 a.m., an alert by a cadaver dog led searchers to the human remains.

When the remains were found, Walasavage said the county coroner's office was contacted.

Although no positive identification has been made, the troopers said items found at the scene indicate that the remains are those of Wiest.

Schuylkill County Coroner Joseph Lipsett said Friday that his office is working with the state police and forensic pathologist Dr. Richard Bindie to positively identify the remains and determine the exact cause of death.

Lipsett said dental records are being reviewed and that Bindie is conducting forensic tests in hopes of determining exactly how the person died.

Walasavage said the investigation into both the remains and Wiest's disappearance are continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call troopers at 593-2000.

New Coaldale officer puts paws to work ** Borough starts fund to collect donations for canine's upkeep.

2008-09-11T01:55:00Z

The new officer, Apollo, is a black Labrador retriever who officials say will help the department with the war on drugs.

TRAINER DONATES REPLACEMENT FOR MISSING DOG LONGSWAMP TWP. K-9 SPECIALIST'S AIKO IS GONE, BUT HE IS BONDING WITH HEXEL.

2000-08-16T14:00:00Z

On Sunday, [David Albertson] traveled to dog trainer Dave Balmat's home in Andreas to pick up Hexel, an 18-month-old female German shepherd.

Albertson, a K-9 search specialist and a state-certified paramedic, has spent the week bonding with Hexel. On Saturday, Hexel will begin search and rescue training with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Task Force One, an elite group of dogs sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.