Patrick Burris's face may now be recognized across the Upstate, and the country. Still, investigators say, so much about the accused killer remains a mystery. The biggest question: what prompted his deadly spree in the first place? "He had given up on the idea of getting away with anything," says USC Upstate Criminal Justice professor Reid Toth. She believes Burris was driven by desperation. His random victims, Toth says, point out Burris might have been after money, not the thrill of the crime. After his first killing, she believes, Burris got in too deep. "This was someone who knew this was his last hurrah. He was either going out in a casket or going back to prison for the rest of his life."
That's one reason, Toth says, Burris does not have the markings of a serial killer. According to definition, serial killers enjoy the hunt, and tend to pick their victims very carefully. Still, it doesn't surprise Toth that the 42 year old might have enjoyed the attention. "I imagine that this gentleman other than being involved with law enforcement had never had any type of positive attention in his life, other than being wanted by police. For the first time he had captivated a community."
That community now wants answers about the man that had Cherokee County frozen in fear for days. Investigators say all the details may never come. "We know he was familiar with the area," says Sheriff Bill Blanton. "But why Cherokee County and why these victims? I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that."
It's an ending many might not like, but according to Toth, might be the ultimate punishment. "We need to focus on the victims and their lives, and let this guy fade into history and not give him the honor of remembering who he was."
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