A Gastonia resident, Mark Stamey, unknowingly lived for over a week in 2009 with Patrick Burris, who police later identified as an alleged serial killer responsible for five murders.
Stamey is now speaking publicly about the period when Burris allegedly committed some of these killings while living alongside him and his sister.
Burris died in a shootout with police after being initially sought for a probation violation.
The killings in Cherokee County, South Carolina, included a 63-year-old peach farmer shot on June 27, 2009.
Four days later, an 83-year-old woman and her daughter were killed, followed by a man and his 14-year-old daughter the next day.
Police initially sought Burris for a probation violation, unaware of his alleged involvement in the murders, which occurred while he was living with Stamey.
Ballistics later linked the gun Burris used in the shootout to these 2009 murder cases.
Mark Stamey, a Gastonia resident, still remembers meeting Patrick Burris, who was introduced to him by a drug dealer. Stamey reflected on the time he spent with Burris and his sister.
“I never dreamed I would be around anyone like that,” Stamey said. He now believes Burris had already killed at least one person in Cherokee County, South Carolina, by the time they met.
Stamey described Burris’ appearance, saying, “His eyes were small as marbles.”
Stamey said Burris did not appear to be a threat or a killer. “No. Not at all,” Stamey said when asked if Burris seemed like a killer. He added that Burris did not seem like a threat to anyone.
Burris, however, appeared to enjoy using drugs and would participate with Stamey and his sister.
Stamey observed that Burris would then vanish for hours or days at a time. Police believe Burris was finding victims during these disappearances.
Stamey recalled Burris’ demeanor after these disappearances. “When he would go to South Carolina and commit these murders, he would come back normal. I mean, like, no stress. No anxiety. Nothing,” Stamey said.
The trio spent more than a week together. Stamey clearly remembers a specific comment Burris made to him during this time. “One day you are going to have a story to tell,” Stamey recalled Burris saying.
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“I remember him looking me in the eyes and telling me that.” Stamey had no idea Burris was wanted for five murders.
He recounted being with Burris and his sister in a Best Western room, watching the news.
They saw a police sketch of a man wanted for murders in Cherokee County, South Carolina.
Stamey and his sister joked to Burris that the sketch looked like him. They later learned the situation was serious. Local police arrived looking for Burris, but only for a probation violation.
Stamey had previously heard Burris declare, “He would always say that he wasn’t going back to prison again. If he had to shoot someone, the police. He was not going back to prison again.”
When officers arrived, Stamey allowed them into the room. As they approached Burris, gunshots erupted. Stamey noted, “I think they said he got off three shots before they shot and killed him.”
Police later confirmed Burris was the suspected serial killer. The bullets from his gun matched those used in the murders.
Stamey later learned that Burris had allegedly planned to kill both him and his sister on the very night of the shootout.
Stamey described his reaction to this revelation. “It was just a shock, I guess. Numbness for a few days, to be honest with you,” he said.
Mark Stamey has kept old mug shots of himself from that period. Since then, he has gotten clean and started his own business.
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Stamey has committed his life to God, whom he credits for his survival during the 10 days with Burris.
He wants others struggling with addiction to know that hope for recovery and peace exists. “If He can take me through that, He can bring you through that darkness of addiction,” Stamey said.
He calls his experience with Burris “one testimony,” but acknowledges he took many other risks during his addiction that could have been fatal.
Mark Stamey hopes his story encourages others facing addiction to seek help, emphasizing that recovery and peace are possible.