Burk Shannon is the older brother and twin to Booth Shannon. Burk married Hallie to spite his brother, Booth, anything he wanted Burk had to have it. Burk believed that there was something going on between his wife and Little Joe. It wasn't helped by the fact that when Little Joe would visit the Shannon's, Hallie would flirt with him and it made Burk extremely jealous. He would write to his brother about his suspicions. Unable to take it anymore Burk tricked Little Joe into coming over to his ranch under the pretense that there were rustlers nearby that he had spotted earlier.