{Fort Campbell, Kentucky}...A Fort Campbell military panel has convicted Fort Campbell soldier Brent Burke in the 2007 shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Tracy Burke, and her former mother-in-law, Karen Comer, after civilian authorities in Hardin County dismissed charges against him due to four mistrials. Jurors, who began deliberations Tuesday morning, found Burke guilty of premeditated murder, breaking and entering, child endangerment and obstruction of justice. Defense attorneys for Burke rested their case Monday after calling state police detective Mark Gilligham who testified about inconsistencies in what Burke's stepson and son said they saw the night of the slayings. Both boys testified Saturday that Burke was the shooter. Carter said their stories changed and weren't credible. Prosecuting attorney Capt. Janae M. Lepir noted in her closings that shortly before the killings Burke told others he was going to kill his estranged wife, that a piece of glass found on Burke's jacket after the killings was "indistinguishable" from shattered glass at the scene and that witness testified Burke had inquired about the fastest way to travel to Fort Campbell from Rineyville and about the location where the children were sleeping in Comer's home where the shootings occurred.
