2 shooting victims laid to rest; 15-year-old girl dies in hospital

Hazel Linder, 83, and her 50-year-old daughter Gena Linder Parker were laid to rest Sunday afternoon following a funeral service at First Baptist Church in Gaffney. Here, pallbearers place one of the two caskets into a hearse before the funeral procession made its way to Frederick Memorial Gardens. Linder and Parker were the second and third victims of a serial killer who police linked to five murders last week. The manhunt continued Sunday. Mourners started arriving early Sunday afternoon.

Not one, but two hearses were parked outside First Baptist Church in Gaffney.

Inside, family and friends said their goodbyes to two beloved teachers who shared the same horrific fate.

Hazel Linder, 83, of Buck Shoals Road, and her 50-year-old daughter, Gena Linder Parker of Anderson, were both laid to rest Sunday as the community continued to reel in shock, not only at their passing but the deaths of three others — deaths that law enforcement officers have linked to a serial killer.

One man outside the church carried a photo collage.

ABBY TYLER Others embraced in shared grief, waiting patiently as the growing line inched its way inside.

However they expressed it, the feelings of disbelief were palpable.

Longtime family friend Mike Mabry, who grew up near the Linder household and had both Hazel Linder and her husband B.E. as teachers, remembered her as a funny, caring and kind woman.

"It (the funeral service) was a celebration of life," said Casey Mabry, who joined his father in coming back to Gaffney to pay their respects.

But no matter how uplifting and dignified the service was, Mike Mabry said one thing will likely continue to play on everyone's mind.

"It's just a no-win situation for anybody here until they catch the guy," he said.

Police officers stood watch both inside and outside the church. Other officers patrolled the area the entire time, circling the block.

A full eight days after local peach grower Kline Cash, 63, was found shot and killed inside his Battleground Road home, a full four days after Linder and Parker were found shot and killed in Linder's Buck Shoals Road home, and a full three days after city businessman Stephen Tyler and his 15-year-old daughter Abby were shot inside his East Frederick Street business, a killer remained on the loose.

The tragedy of the entire situation, if not already bad enough, seemed worse on Saturday to some as 15-yearold Abby Tyler, who had survived the Thursday night shooting, passed away at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

A WONDERFUL GIRL

The response to Abby Tyler's death was instantaneous. When an invitation was sent out for friends to offer words on her passing, e-mails arrived in quick succession.

"God knows what is best and he has the master plan," Beshada McGregor wrote in a response to an open request for memories of her. "Abby and her father are in a much better place. They were angels on Earth and now they are with God being angels in Heaven."

Others called the rising Gaffney High School junior genuine, funny, faithful to God, and many remembered her fondly for having a big heart.

"As you can imagine, this is

a very difficult

time for the Tyler family," Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler told the news media during a somber press conference to announce Abby's passing. "They have asked me to ask you to respect their privacy."

The Linder family sought some measure of privacy as well on Sunday.

The still-developing situation has attracted media from across the Carolinas, and even across the nation and world as the cable news networks have been focusing on Gaffney and Cherokee County.

Outside the First Baptist Church, a half dozen television cameras videotaped mourners coming and going, but most were stationed across the street a respectful distance. Police standing watch said the family asked the media to stay outside the church.

FULL FORCE AHEAD

Just a few blocks away on Sunday, the Cherokee County Law Enforcement Center remained a beehive of activity, serving as the command center for a massive investigation — the likes of which some say Cherokee County has never before seen.

More than 100 investigators became involved over the past week, and even more are volunteering manpower and resources if needed, Gaffney Police Chief Rick Turner said Saturday. Already, the task force included the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, the State Law Enforcement Division, the Gaffney Police Department, the FBI, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office, and officials from every surrounding county.

Almost everyone involved in the hunt for a killer, which Cherokee County Sheriff Bill Blanton confirmed on Friday fit the FBI definition of a serial killer, has been working around the clock.

While it was only natural that the long hours were taking a physical toll, Turner said Saturday that the men and women of the task force remained "full force ahead" even if cat naps were the best anyone could do.

"The mental level is still high," he said. "Our officers are driven. That's everyone out here."

DETAILS REMAIN CLOUDY

Investigators have purposefully held many details close to the vest. Sheriff Blanton and Turner, who have been the public face of the investigation at recent press conferences, have maintained that they will not be commenting on any physical evidence, the crime scenes, or the similarities that allowed them to link all five killings to the same man.

And who is the man? Was he local?

A visitor?

Did he have a connection to the victims?

Did the victims have a connection to each other?

Police have said they had not found any links between the victims, though it would not have been out of the ordinary in close-knit Cherokee County for them to have been familiar.

"I knew all the victims in this case," Blanton said.

In the wake of Thursday night's shooting, investigators backed off earlier statements that the killer seemed to be targeting women, though women were present in each of the three incidents. Police are now saying they won't speculate.

It's possible that the killer's appearance might have changed since a widely-distributed sketch was released Monday and a new, more detailed sketch was released Friday. The killer is described as standing about 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighing approximately 250 pounds with salt and pepper hair. Police said he also has distinctive, large medium-blue eyes.

While his appearance might have changed, his general physical characteristics should remain the same.

"You can't change your height," Blanton said during a Friday press conference, "and he's only had five days to change his weight."

Police had been searching for two different types of vehicles in the wake of the June 27 killing on Battleground Road and the July 1 killings on Buck Shoals Road.

However, police began concentrating Friday on the vehicle description from the June 27 incident, an early 1990s model two-door Ford Explorer Sport with faded gray or champagne colored paint.

A witness description of a dark blue van, possibly a mini-van, police said, hadn't been panning out.

Through it all, police continued to remind residents to remain vigilant, both for their safety and for the safety of others.

Drivers of similar vehicles likely found out just how vigilant residents and police could be, since practically every vehicle even remotely similar was being checked in some way. Police have checked possibly hundreds of license plates in the past few days.

A PRAYER FOR RESOLUTION AND PEACE

At a Friday evening memorial service for the victims, and at church services across the county Sunday, the faithful gathered and put faith in a higher power for guidance, strength, wisdom and an end to bloodshed.

"I just felt in my heart we, as a church, need to do everything spiritually we can do," Rev. Joey Turner of Restoration Church International said before a Friday night prayer service for the victims, for police and for Cherokee County.

What kind of person would do this? From a Biblical perspective, Rev. Turner found the killer's actions wrapped in a demonic spirit straight out of the pits of hell, a soul bankrupt of any good spirit whatsoever.

"This is an attack not just on random families," he said. "This is an attack on our community."

When it comes to community, however, Chief Turner had no doubt Cherokee County is the finest.

He thanked area residents for all the support law enforcement has been receiving, from thank-you notes and prayers to the individuals and businesses who have been dropping off supplies at the Cherokee County Law Enforcement Center.

Dan Williams was just one of those dropping by to lend support. He pulled his car up to the back of the sheriff's office and handed them many bottles of soda.

"I had the stuff laying around the house and it wasn't doing me any good," Williams said. Williams, who manages a local store, said the donation was a way to say thanks and show his support.