To the 17 residents of this Rocky Mountain town, William Patrick Burkhart is more than just a man.
He's an apparition who popped in and out of summer cabins at will for the past four months. He's a survivalist who made his own compasses, ammunition and stilts that disguise his tracks as an animal's. He's also a thief who stole their sense of security."He's incredible," said Roy Wright, one of dozens who have searched for the wily, Bible-quoting backwoodsman accused of shooting a deputy and fleeing into the rugged heart of the Rockies. "He's out there. We know it. He's like the Yeti."
Burkhart, 39, is wanted in a shooting of Park County Deputy John Hoehler on Tuesday night. Hoehler was hit by 12-gauge shotgun pellets in the chest, face, hands and legs while trying to arrest Burkhart for break-ins at cabins, said Sheriff Robert Harrison.
Harrison said Burkhart, who has a history of mental illness, quoted scripture before opening fire at Hoehler at a remote cabin near Fairplay, which is about 16 miles southwest of Jefferson. Hoehler remained in a hospital Thursday.
Residents say before the shooting they left their homes unlocked and the keys in their trucks. Now they are toting guns, and children at Edith Teeter Elementary in Fairplay are being sent to the bathroom in pairs for safety.
"Our illusion of safety has been shattered pretty good," said Steve Bertin, owner of the Jefferson Store.