Best of the Web: Cherokee County Serial Killer: Burris sold guns before killing spree
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NEW Burris sold guns before the killing spree More here
NEW Man who paid to get Burris out of jail says at one time he was engaged to his mom. More here.
NEW Profile: Burris the Bully More here.
NEW Sheriff in NC says an elderly man was so afraid of Burris in previous crimes that he refused to testify. More here.
NEW Community Wide healing service July 28th at First Baptist Gaffney at 7 pm.
NEW Family of Patrick Burris - the serial killer - release the following statement.
“We have not seen Patrick for many years and it is a great shock to learn of what he is accused of doing. If the accusations about him are true, he is not the same person we used to know and did indeed do these terrible things, then our hearts go out to all the families and friend of the people have died. Nothing that can be said or done will erase what has happened. We are so very sorry for the loss and pain that they must be in.”
Sincerely, F. Burris & R. Burris
NEW Patrick Burris partied for four days before being shot dead. Couple with him night he died said he was obsessed with watching coverage of serial killer crimes and made jokes. More here.
NEW Suspect killed near Gastonia is the serial killer. More here.
NEW Live Blog Replay of viewer comments as news was announced during news conference. Click Here.
NEW Suspect Patrick Burris criminal history.
NEW - 911 calls from shooting early this morning in Gastonia. Champaigne Ford Explorer at scene. Police shot and killed the suspect. Unclear if it relates to Serial Killer or not. Listen to calls here.
NEW - Cherokee County Sheriff Bill Blanton announces reward for information that leads to serial killer’s arrest is up to $34,500
NEW - In an interview with CNN the sheriff shares more details about the crime timeline. See the timeline in our Fact Sheet
The funeral services for Gena Parker and her mom Hazel Linder took place Sunday at First Baptist Gaffney.
There is an 11 am memorial service Monday in Anderson, where Mrs. Parker taught 3rd grade. More Here.
The State Newspaper photo gallery from Sunday’s services
NEW - 5th victim of the Cherokee County serial killer has died. Abby Tyler died at Spartanburg Regional Saturday morning, after being shot earlier in the week. More here.
SUSPECT: Patrick Tracy Burris
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NEW SKETCH OF SUSPECT Described as in his late 40’s. Call 864 489 2746 with tips. Print out the REWARD Poster Click here (reward now up to 2500)
Suspect Description:
Height: 6’2 or 6’3
Weight: 240 to 250
Distinctive,large medium-blue eyes
Hair: Salt and pepper, days-old beard
Vehicle: Older model Ford Explorer or navy blue minivan
Keep in mind eye color may be deceptive could have had color contacts on for crime, or where them to next one.
Sheriff says they expect that he’s changed his appearance. Height and Weight won’t change.
NEW Latest developments link
LIVE BLOG - 300 of you live blogged with me and hundreds more are watching the Friday morning news conference where officials called their suspect a serial killer for the first time.
You can replay it here if you missed it live. This is the suspect and vehicle - a 1991 to 1994 Ford Explorer Sport Gray or Champaigne color - they are after.
NEW Track what people are saying on Twitter
NEW Sources tell me the three murders in Cherokee County and the murder and shooting at a store in Gaffney Thursday night are related. My source says “They are the same.”
NEW Cherokee County Coroner Id’s victims and releases crime details.
Abby Tyler was shot and is hospitalized. Her father Stephen was killed. (picture from Gaffney Ledger)
Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler is investigating
the death of the owner of a Gaffney business. Fowler
identified the deceased as 48 year old Stephen Hyland
Tyler of 189 Farm Wind Road, Gaffney.
According to the coroner, Tyler was shot inside his business,
Tyler HomeCenter, located at 612 East Frederick Street Thursday
evening. Fowler pronounced Tyler dead at the scene and
has ordered an autopsy for later this morning in Newberry
to assist with his investigation of the death which he
said is being considered a homicide.
Tyler’s 15 year old daughter was also injured in the incident and is
hospitalized at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.
Fowler said Mr. Tyler’s wife and older daughter, along
with an employee, discovered the victims in the business
unresponsive about 7:15 p.m.
The latest incident is the 4th homicide in Cherokee County in the
last 5 days.
There is a little more information I can give you on how to protect yourself, based on my conversations with law enforcement. Officials say the suspect doesn’t look as scary as that sketch. In fact, you won’t think a thing about him if he approaches. He will look/seem harmless. Could even be someone you know and trust.
I’m told the most important thing you can do if anyone approaches - is call 911 right away - and give a vehicle and person description.
Officials are also certain that the suspect is known to someone. That someone has a gut feeling about someone they know, as they look at the sketch, think about the blue van or champaigne colored explorer and think about when the crimes have occurred. Saturday afternoon. Wednesday afternoon. And then 7 Thursday night.
Watch the Thursday news conference replay linking all three killings in the county to this one suspect. Click here.
Suspect picture:
NEW Helping children cope with fear. Dr. Roger Rhoades explains how we should approach this with our children.
NEW Dealing with fear - I asked Roger Rhoades with the Pace Center for advice
It was just Thursday morning, when the Sheriff of Cherokee County revealed the murder of a mom and daughter in Cherokee County is linked to the murder of a man just days earlier and just a few miles away.
The man pictured above is their suspect. A dark van and a champaigne colored explorer have been suggested as suspect vehicles. The sheriff says the killer is targeting women, even though the first victim killed was a man. Investigators describe two vehicles of interest a dark colored Van and now a Gold/Champaigne Ford Explorer as well, late model.
They think Kline Cash’s wife was actually the first intended victim. The sheriff says this killer is unpredicatble and could kill anyone. I’m told the area of Laurens Union Cherokee Spartanburg York and border NC counties need to be on their toes and don’t answer the door for anyone.
People in Cherokee County are scared. They’re posting on Facebook telling me with five unsolved shootings in a week, they’re uneasy. Two teachers, one retired, one still working, Gena Parker of Anderson and her mom, Hazel Linder, who lived on Buck Shoals Road off Highway 11, were the people found murdered Wednesday.
NEW we now have a picture of Hazel Linder.
NEW Memorial services for Gena set for Monday at NewSpring Church in Anderson at 11 am.
Gena was a third grade teacher at Calhoun Academy of the Arts in Anderson. From what I’ve learned, Gena carried on a tradition of teaching that started with her parents, who were teachers and school administrators.
I wanted to share some pictures here of Gena from Facebook. Gena was one of my Facebook friends. Under this picture from school Gena wrote about the rainy day that left her and another teacher with a room full of bored third graders. So they improvised those outfits with stuff around the room, to entertain the students. I can only imagine how her students will miss her.
Gina has two teenage sons who will miss her even more.
Sadly authorities say her husband Scott, found his wife and mother in law. Scott who you see below pictured with Gena, is an assistant coach at Newberry and an administrator in Greenwood County Schools where he is Assistant Principal at Ninety Six High School. He’s coached at North Greenville and TL Hanna as well. Thousands of people in the Upstate know this family, now devastated by a brutal crime.
Gena just posted on Facebook today that she was “very happy” after taking a Facebook quiz, what would turn out to be one of her final posts.
Another friend of Gena’s who is a friend of mine posted this on my page tonight.
Jonna posts: “It is HORRIBLE , my road , my church, my church road, our friends….God bring those responsible to justice…she would have been at prayer meeting tonight.”
Our hearts go out to friends and family in this case and in the unsolved murder of Kline Cash. We hope authorities can figure out what is going on soon.
Picture from: Spartanburg Herald Journal
Sadly one of you posted below that the funeral was underway for Mr. Cash Wednesday afternoon, when relatives started receiving text messages of the crime involving the Linder and Parker families.
We welcome friends and family of the Tyler’s to post here and share pictures and memories as well. Our hearts break for each of these families devastated by the violence.
Read the latest on the case here.
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