A local resident points to a wanted poster on which the words "Dead 7-6-09" have been written over the sketch. (Ledger photo / JOE L. HUGHES II) NED & OPERATED Finally, a sigh of relief.

Local residents were able to rest a little easier Monday night after learning the man who terrorized Cherokee County for the past nine days had committed his last crime.

Patrick Burris, 41, was shot to death Monday morning by Gaston County (N.C.) police officers investigating a report about suspicious activity at a Dallas, N.C., residence.

Recently, much of the county has been a virtual "ghost town" as families dead-bolted doors and held guns tight in case the killer decided to make their home his next target.

"I didn't even leave my house to get groceries," said Cherokee County resident Susan White. "Much of the time I had my gun beside me, where it has stayed for much of the past week."

White, an employee at Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ, said she didn't blame anyone for deciding to stay at home.

"Simply getting up in the morning and getting ready for work was pretty scary," White said. "No one wants to feel like that, so having law enforcement officials get him off the streets is a relief."

Also not taking any chances was Wyatt Maynor of the Abbott Farms fresh fruit and produce stand located off Peachoid Road.

"It's been scary, as we all are thinking this man used Exit 92 as a way for his escape out of town, which is virtually where our store is located," Maynor said. "I kept my protection on me at all times and when we closed at 8 p.m., we closed our shutters and doors as fast as possible before hiding to escape to our cars as fast as we could."

While some kept their loaded guns with them, Ace Hardware & Buford Street Drug Store owner Charles Patton and his employees felt they had power in numbers that would keep the serial killer at bay.

"We didn't give guns or anything to employees because we felt with a lot of us roaming the store it would probably deter him from trying anything," Patton said. "We weren't necessarily comfortable, but we felt that was the best way to do business."

In addition, the store also closed at 5 p.m., two hours earlier than its usual closing time. Those precautions still might not have kept Burris from visiting the Gaffney drug store, with several employees saying the serial killer visited the business shortly after killing Stephen Tyler and his daughter Abby at Tyler Home Center on Frederick Street.

"Nothing's confirmed, and I've submitted a videotape to the Gaffney Police Department," Patton said. "But it looked a lot like him; a lot of his distinct features. Fortunately, we weren't part of his killing spree."

Patton said families may eventually put their guard down, but things will never return to the normalcy that local residents — particularly the families of victims— enjoyed prior to the shooting deaths.

"I'm happy everything has calmed down and we can get back to life as usual, though it will not be the same," Patton said. "We'll have to keep the victims' families in our prayers though, as their lives have forever been turned upside down."