Account set up for woman’s children

An account has been set up to accept donations for the children of an Alvarado store clerk killed during a July 23 robbery attempt.

Donations may be made to April Burke’s account at Wachovia Bank. Donations may be deposited at any Wachovia location, a bank employee said.

Donations may also be mailed to the bank’s Mansfield location at 317 S. Main St., Mansfield, TX 76063. Checks should be made out to April Burke.

Funds collected will benefit the son and two daughters of Karen Burke, 52, of Alvarado.

For information, call the bank at 817-477-5774.

Burke worked as a clerk at the Shell Travel Center on 1203 S. Parkway Drive in Burleson. Burke was working alone July 23 when a man entered the store about 1:35 a.m., shot Burke in the head and left after unsuccessfully attempting to open the cash register. Burke died the following day at John Peter Smith Hospital.

Alvarado Police Chief John Allen characterized the act as “cold blooded” and said he could not recall a crime of similar magnitude during his time in Alvarado.

Several law enforcement agencies aided the Alvarado Police Department in the investigation, which lead to Friday’s arrest of a 16-year-old boy. Allen confirmed the boy lives in the Alvarado area but declined to release his name becasue he is a juvenile.

Formal charges will be brought against the boy as soon as the county attorney’s office receives the final police report from Alvarado PD, said County Attorney Bill Moore.

Moore said his office also plans to ask the juvenile court to waive jurisdiction so the boy can stand trial as an adult.