Former Durham police officer charged with murder in wife's death

Officers responding to a home in the 2900 block of Cedarwood Drive at about 6:15 p.m. on Friday found 50-year-old Maxine Burns dead inside.

Her husband, 51-year-old Timothy W. Burns, was taken to the hospital Friday, police said. He remained in a local hospital Saturday. 

Tearney Canady is Timothy's daughter. She considered Maxine her stepmother.

Canady said she found out about the incident early Saturday when she came to the Cedarwood Drive home.

“I’m just hoping to find out what happened really, just like everyone else,” Canady said.

Canady said the couple had been married for about 20 years. 

“She was a great person, and she always looked out for my well being,” Canady said of Maxine Burns. “She always treated me like one of hers.”

“I’m in shock right now because I don’t know what to feel,” she said. “It happened all of a sudden, so I can’t tell you anything. I’m just in shock.”

According to Durham police, Burns left the police department in the 1990s.