North Carolina Man Arrested for Bigamy After Authorities Discover Three Wives Across Multiple Counties

Harry Irvine Burdick Jr., 60, was arrested after authorities discovered he held multiple marriage licenses with at least three women at once

A North Carolina man has been arrested on bigamy charges after investigators revealed he is legally married to at least three different women in separate counties.

Harry Irvine Burdick Jr., 60, of Davidson County, was taken into custody on August 22 and charged with two counts of felony bigamy, according to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said they uncovered three marriage licenses in his name, with weddings confirmed in Guilford, Lincoln, and Davidson counties.

Investigators found no evidence that Burdick ever divorced any of the women, and it remains unclear whether the wives were aware of one another. The sheriff’s office stated that the marriages appeared to be motivated by “financial and personal gain.”

Burdick was later released after filing a written promise to appear in court on September 22. Officials also noted they believe there may be additional wives and are urging possible victims or anyone with knowledge of Burdick’s marriages to come forward.

Bigamy, the act of being married to more than one person at the same time, is illegal across the United States. It was first banned in federal territories under the Edmund-Tucker Act of 1887, legislation aimed at outlawing polygamist practices in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

While polygamy remains outlawed, several well-known families from the LDS community, such as the Browns from TLC’s Sister Wives and the Darger family, have publicly documented their multi-marriage lifestyles. In early August, a Florida man facing similar charges was sentenced to two years’ probation after his wives learned they had been deceived.

Authorities continue to investigate whether Burdick had more undisclosed marriages.