An arrest has been made in connection with the disappearance of a Marion woman that was reported last week.
49 year old Carla Burns was first reported missing on Tuesday, March 8. On Wednesday, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of her estranged husband, 56 year old Dr. Brian Burns of Harrisburg, on a charge of first degree murder.
Dr. Burns was formerly a family practice doctor at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro until the summer of 2014. Carla Burns was an associate nursing instructor at Southeastern Illinois College. The couple had filed for divorce in December.
Details about the active investigation have not yet been released, and a formal press conference originally scheduled for Thursday at the Saline County Detention Center has now been moved to 10am on Friday.
In a statement released by Saline County Sheriff Keith Brown, the investigation is being conducted by his department, the Marion Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police and State Police Crime Scene Services, and Saline County Coroner’s Office.
