South Carolina fugitive may be in the Kansas City area, authorities say

A South Carolina man wanted in the kidnapping and beating of a woman has been working as a maintenance worker in Overland Park and may still be in the Kansas City area, authorities said Saturday.

Robert Alan Burriss, 51, has been working in maintenance at Village Apartments, 7819 Carter Drive, authorities said. He was last seen at the complex, just east of Interstate 35, at 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Burriss is white, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 155 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He has been using the name Mike Ditch and has a South Carolina driver’s license with the name Curtis Michael Ditch, authorities said.

He is wanted in Lexington County, S.C., where he allegedly assaulted a woman in March 2014. According to a statement from Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers, the woman was tied, beaten and choked before she could escape.

Authorities said Burriss has firearms and might be living in woods or camping.

The U.S. Marshals Service and Kansas City area law enforcement agencies are searching for Burriss. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

The Star

This story was originally published May 30, 2015 at 2:15 PM with the headline "South Carolina fugitive may be in the Kansas City area, authorities say."