Officials said the investigation is still ongoing, as detectives believe there could be other victims
A North Carolina man is facing two felony bigamy charges after police said he married three women at the same time — and authorities believe he may have had even more wives.
According to a press release from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), Harry Irvine Burdick Jr. was arrested on Aug. 22, following a five-month-long investigation from the office’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Burdick, who is in his 60s, per The New York Times, was allegedly found to have three marriage licenses with three different women in three different North Carolina counties: Lincoln, Davidson and Guilford.
The investigation was launched in April, the sheriff’s office said, and detectives said they were unable to locate divorce proceedings before Burdick had already allegedly married two other women.
“Financial motivation and personal gain were the motives” for the three marriages, the sheriff’s office stated in the press release.
According to the sheriff’s office, Burdick was released the same day he was arrested on a written promise to appear in court at the Davidson County Courthouse.
North Carolina classifies bigamy as a Class I felony, and the charge can result in imprisonment for anyone who knowingly marries while still legally married to another person.
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The law has several exceptions, including situations where a spouse has been absent or not heard from for seven years, and is not known to be alive during that time, or if a person’s last marriage was legally ended through divorce or declared void by a court order.
Anyone entering a marriage without being legally divorced or otherwise could face criminal bigamy charges, though the prison sentence varies by case.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation is still ongoing, and that there may be other victims.
“We believe there could additional victims for this investigation,” the office added. “If you or someone you know has been legally married without a divorce to Mr. Burdick, please contact Detective Foushee at the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (336) 236-3365.”
Burdick is set to appear in court on Monday, Sept. 22.
