Update: 7/6/09

Investigators believe the serial killer blamed for five deaths in South Carolina died in a shootout with police in North Carolina earlier today.

Authorities said that the gun found on 41-year-old Patrick Tracy Burris match the weapon used in the killings in South Carolina.

Burris was killed in Dallas, North Carolina on Monday after police received a call about a possible burglary in progress.

When police arrived at the home, they found inside two people who lived there and a third who was an acquaintance. A check of Burris’ background found an outstanding warrant on him from a probation violation from North Carolina.

When police attempted to serve the warrant, Burris shot at officers, who returned fired.

One officer was shot in the leg and was treated and released from a hospital.

Update: 7/4/09

Fifteen-year-old Abby Tyler died around 11:25 this morning after being shot in the head earlier this week.

Gaffney authorities said that Tyler is the fifth person to die by a South Carolina serial murderer, who is still on the loose.

Last Saturday 63-year-old peach farmer Kline W. Cash was found dead by his wife in their home.

On Wednesday, Hazel Linder and her daughter, Gena Linder Parker were found bound and shot in the mother’s home, and on Thursday, Abby’s  father, Stephen, was shot and killed in the family-run furniture and appliance store in Gaffney.

Original story

Cherokee County Sheriff Bill Blanton confirmed last night that the murder at Tyler Home Center in Gaffney, South Carolina is linked to the series of murders that has taken place in the area.

According to authorities, around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday a serial murderer shot and killed the owner of the home center, Stephen Tyler, and wounded Tyler’s 15-year-old daughter Abby.

Abby, who was shot in the head, was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

Last Wednesday, 83-year-old Hazel Linder and her 50-year-old daughter Gena Linder Parker, were found bound and shot in their home

Local and federal law enforcement descended on the county in huge numbers to find out who is committing these murders.

The Cherokee County Sheriff says they have a tremendous amount of physical evidence that positively proved the homicide on Wednesday is related to one on Sunday and on Thursday.