DAN'S PAPERS, September 12, 2008 Page 24 www.danshamptons.com (continued from previous page)
the North Haven home that she shared with her daughter, Jean Burke, 76. She had been shot once in the head. Jean Burke, a long-time resident of North Haven, who ran for Mayor of this tiny village in the 1990s, told police that she had left the house for about an hour to go shopping. When she returned, she said she found her mother dead in the recliner, and called the police. “At about 12:46 p.m., her daughter Jean, a retired parole officer, called the Southampton Police Department, saying something was wrong with her mother,” recalled Detective Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick, commanding officer of the Suffolk County Homicide Squad. “It didn’t appear that there was any forced entry, and nothing was stolen from the house.” No weapon was found near the body, ruling out suicide. He said, contrary to other reports, the police “didn’t take the daughter in for questioning, they just rode her around in the police car, away from the scene, to ask her some questions, and brought her back to the house.” Fitzpatrick said since the crime, his department has been conducting a major investigation. He wouldn’t discuss suspects or evidence. Jean Burke’s lawyer, Colin Astarita, of Southampton, described his client as “distraught” about the incident. He added that her whole family is “shocked,” and that they are aiding police in any possible ways they can. Last Tuesday morning, September 2, Jean Burke and her sister, Judy Schiavoni, of Sag Harbor, were leaving their mother’s house to
get in the car and drive away, when various reporters approached them. They refused to discuss the case. “We’re too upset to talk now, so please leave our property,” Schiavoni said, as she guarded her sister from the press. They got in the car, as Schiavoni drove and Burke pulled the seatbelt across her face to avoid photos. According to reports, Burke was staying at her sister’s house intermittently. News of this crime shocked the bucolic neighborhood of the beautiful street where the Burkes live. Neighbors found it hard to believe anything like it could happen on their quiet street. Deborah Rossow, who lives around the corner, said it made her feel uneasy. “I feel sad for the family, and we hope the police find out what happened,” she said. “It’s so rare to hear of a homicide in this area. We hope they get the person, and find out what happened.” Dorothy Zaykoski, of the Sag Harbor Historical Society, who wrote two historical books with her son, North Haven Village Historian Joe Zaykowski, said, “I’ve lived in Sag Harbor for 70 years, and this is the first murder I ever heard of in North Haven.” Jessie Burke had many friends at two clubs where she was a member — the Southampton Olde Towne Garden Club, and the bridge club at the Bridgehampton Nutrition Center. Even at age 100, she was described by her friends as “very lucid, and a good bridge player.” Lillian Vishno, a long-time friend and fellow
bridge club member, said Jessie Burke was called, “Daisy” by her friends. “She was an important part of our bridge club, where she served as a hostess, and brought her famous homemade blueberry muffins,” she recalled. “In honor of her 100th birthday on August 7, we went to Daisy’s house and brought her a birthday cake and balloons. She was so excited, and her daughters Jean and Judy were cooking dinner.” Vishno said Jessie Burke was raised by her grandparents in Scotland, and was a “feisty, wonderful lady ... a very special woman whom everyone respected and loved.” Pat Bauer Murphy, a member of the Southampton Olde Towne Garden Club, said, “I knew Daisy well, but I haven’t seen her in recent years. She is an honorary member of our club, where she was an active participant in flower shows for over 25 years.” Fred Stelle, a former North Haven Village Trustee, called the murder “a tragedy,” adding, “We live in a village where we pride ourselves on being secure. Who knows what the motivation was? We trust and know each other, and to find that this could happen here is depressing.” He remembered Jean Burke as an activist in the village who tried to save the deer from the hunters. “She was outspoken and a no-nonsense type woman. It must be really upsetting to her,” he said. Suffolk County Homicide is asking anyone with any information on this murder to call CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-220-TIPS.
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