Teen Becomes 5th Murdered By Serial Killer

(AP)  A teenage girl shot while helping her father in their family's small furniture and appliance store died Saturday, becoming the fifth victim of a suspected serial killer terrorizing a small South Carolina community, authorities said.

Abby Tyler, 15, died about 11:15 a.m. EDT at a Spartanburg hospital after fighting for her life for two days, Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler said.

Tyler was wounded and her father was killed Thursday as they worked to close the Tyler Home Center near downtown Gaffney.

County Sheriff Bill Blanton said investigators believe the killings are linked and the search is on for a suspected male serial killer. An 83-year-old mother and her daughter were shot to death Wednesday, and a 63-year-old peach farmer was found dead at his home a week ago.

Blanton said all the victims were shot, but he would not say how the deaths were linked. The shootings all occurred within about 10 miles of each other in Cherokee County, a rural community of 54,000 people set amid peach orchards and farms some 50 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The spree had alarmed residents canceling Independence Day holiday plans and arming themselves. The sheriff has warned door-to-door salesmen to stop knocking and anyone who breaks down on the county's rural roads to wait instead of walking to a house for help because he worries "people are going to start shooting at shadows."

The killings began a week ago Saturday when the wife of 63-year-old peach farmer Kline Cash found him dead in their home. Then last Wednesday, relatives found 83-year-old Hazel Linder and her 50-year-old daughter, Gena Linder Parker, bound and shot to death in a separate shooting at Linder's home.

Dozens of local, state and federal investigators were assigned to the case when the killings were linked. But a day later, the killer struck again, less than a half-mile from the sheriff's office serving as the headquarters for the investigation, killing 48-year-old Stephen Tyler and his daughter.

"We're knee-deep in the investigation," Blanton said Sunday. "There's fear and concern here and there should be concern."

Investigators have released a sketch of the suspect, saying he is in his 40s, tall, with salt and pepper hair. They think he is driving a silver 1991-1994 Ford Explorer.

By Associated Press Writer Mitch Weiss; AP Writers Jim Davenport and Jeffrey Collins contributed to this report from Columbia

[sean58z]

Ted Bundy proved that a common-looking fellow could be a sly, cold-blooded killer. Vigilance is the real answer. Three of the five victims were women. The two men were closely associated with women. This Felon is a misogynistic homosexual. He uses the element of surprise. South Carolina should observe drifters asking for directions or money.

[gearhead1000]

How predictable, this discussion dissolves into nothing more then and right Vs Left debate, NRA vs.Anti-NRA.

When will you learn that is no reasoning with the left, the cannot stand the fact of anyone who abides by the law to have a gun. It is to be outlawed and only for the criminals and government to posses. Why? Simple, they all posses deep domination fantasizes. WHy do you think they are so kind to criminals? In the liberal left eyes, they see them as powerful dominating people that they secretly worship. They are sick and twisted souls for which there is no discussion. Simply ignore them and talk about the real issue here: How to catch this bastard

[rhs648]

If someone is breaking into your home, their is no better protection than a shotgun. Only fools take the chance of not having a loaded shotgun when someone is breaking into your home. You become a formidable opponent. The shotgun gives you the opportunity to defend yourself.

[ffoulkes-2009]

..and your family.

[rhs648]

ffoulkes-2009 - That is correct.

[faylabouiver]

WE ARE N.R.A. MENBERS AND ALWAYS WILL BE, GUNS DON'T KILL IT'S THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE GUNS.

[fred-mertz]

And, THANK YOU very much for supplying those guns to the killers! By providing the guns that the killers use, YOU are as guilty as the killer, just like the getaway driver is as guilty as the bank robber when a security guard gets shot during a bank robbery!

[johninpennsyl]

The first NRA member this serial killer runs into will be the last.
Refuse to be a victim.

[TryTakingMyMoney]

People...listen up! Please exercise your 2nd amendment right and arm yourself now! Do not listen to brainwashed liberals and become a victim. The only way we will stop these criminals and psychos is to use force with force. Don't become a victim, buy a gun now and learn how to use it!

[Brandywine33]

I surely hope this murderer is caught and soon. One poster said this killer will be caught, but that remains to be seen. Remember the Zodiac serial murder cases? Did they ever catch that killer?

[vielmann]

If the NRA wants to advocate freedom of gun ownership for everyone, then we have to expect that the crazy and insane, who often don't show it at first, will also have access to these weapons. There is no other way around it. Or, they can start advocating responsibility in gun ownership and support psychological tests that evaluate people's abilities to resolve conflict. Those who believe that conflict must be settled with violence should not be allowed to own guns. It won't be full proof, but it will be a start.

[ffoulkes-2009]

You are wrong...NRA wants legal gun ownership to people of sound mind and who are not criminals. They are strongly against those with mental illnesses or felony convictions owning guns.

[vielmann]

I hope this low-life is found and I hope he gets the worst of all punishment available to him. It would be even better if dogs consumed him.

[winchester70]

We of the NRA are the good guys and are on "The side of the angels".

[fred-mertz]

The NRA board members are GUN SELLERS. They don't care who lives or dies, as long as they get to sell lots of guns. They don't care that the guns they sell go to criminals, to Mexican drug lords, or to "law abiding gun owners", aka self-deluded fools. All that matters to the NRA is that people remain afraid, and that motivates them to buy more guns and ammo. The NRA is the enemy of all life on this planet. If you are member, you should hang your head in shame.

[ffoulkes-2009]

Actually, Fred...most of the NRA members are not gun sellers, but gun owners or those who would like to retain the right to own one in the future. Get your facts straight.

[robinspp]

How many thousands of criminals have guns, nobody knows. NRA encourages gun culture; until they get it back they will not learn a lesion. Church is a place for worship, but a pastor, who is a right wing extremist, encouraged to bring loaded gun to the church. Is he a Christian? No were in bible encouraged carrying gun. It is time for the federal government to take up this matter and bring gun control.

[ffoulkes-2009]

There ya go...then ONLY the thousands of criminals will have the guns...smart call.