Was Jim Burnside a sociopath?

[Oldschooler81]

I just showed this segment to a friend recently and we were talking about it. He thinks something might've happened in Jim's past to make him snap like he did and have such a negative view of women (i.e. if he was abused or neglected by his mom in the past, or if his mom died).

No question the guy was a huge scumbag even before he killed Annette, but what differentiates him and alot of murderers is that it happened suddenly in middle age. If he was capable of cold blooded murder, not to mention verbal, physical and emotional abuse against a much younger woman that he probably just wanted to control (i.e. not having her own friends or to drive)... it's odd and even scary to think how he could've lived up to 1981 when he was 46 WITHOUT being some kind of monster already.

Up to that time do you think he was maybe just a jerk and a bit of a chauvenist, but basically a law abiding citizen not quite capable of murder? Maybe if he was ever married/in relationships before, none of those women took his crap. Then once he manipulated his way into a younger chick's life (still a kid when they met, making it even creepier), that was maybe just the catalyst that pushed him over the edge.

[kadrmas15]

Well I am not sure that he was truly law abiding before the murder. I mean certainly he had never killed before but it appears he had been in prison before. He in fact had escaped from Florida prisons twice in 1959 and in fact was convicted of felony theft on multiple occasions and had a criminal record going back to his early 20's. He also had a rather lengthy arrest record mostly for misdemeanor charges such as drunk driving, public intoxication, domestic violence, that type of thing. Jim Burnside in fact is still alive and still in prison. He is now 73 years old.

In fact when Jim Burnside was convicted in federal court in 1992 on 3 federal felonies, he was tried in the U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama in Birmingham, in February of 1992, he was convicted of assaulting a federal officer and illegal use of a firearm, he could have got up to 25 years in federal prison but was sentenced to 7 years and 9 months in federal prison for those charges. On his way to his sentencing hearing on April 22nd, 1992 he was found to be in possession of escape tools, specifically a handcuff key under his tongue, and he was found to be in possession of pepper, wires, a narrow razor blade and names of people, presumably friends and family written on cigarette rolling paper, all of these things he had hidden in ballpoint pens. He was sentenced to 7 years, 9 months in prison on the charges he was previously convicted of and given a new charge possessing escape tools. In July of 1992 he was convicted by a federal jury of those charges, the jury deliberated a whopping 13 minutes to convict. He faced up to 5 years in federal prison for that conviction. He was given 5 years but the sentence was ran concurrent to the 7 year, 9 month sentence he had received earlier.

In fact, from what I have read, Annette filed for divorce from Jim in 1984, saying in court documents that he had an 'uncontrollable temper' and was beating her up and was violent, particularly when intoxicated. However she wound up letting the case lapse and the case was dropped. In December of 1987 she filed for divorce again saying that Jim had continued beating her and had once torn up the interior or her car, that was what we saw in the UM segment. She moved out of their home and took their daughters who at the time were ages 6 and 3 with her.

The dealership where Annette worked, Conley Buick in Bradenton, Florida is still there although it is now called Conley Buick GMC Subaru. http://www.conleybuickgmc.com/ it is right adjacent to the shopping center where Annette met Dave for lunch. The shopping center is also still there. Known as the Desoto Square Mall it is still there in Bradenton.

The co-worker that was shot, David Otteni he is still alive and still lives in Palmetto, Florida. He is now 66 years old. When Burnside blocked the car in with his van, Burnside knocked out the passenger window with the butt of his shotgun. Otteni got out of the car and began to argue with Burnside and Burnside shot him at point blank range in the stomach with a .12 gauge shotgun. He then grabbed a hunting knife and chased Annette about 200 feet before catching up to her and stabbing her to death. It appears Annette's parents, Roy and Jean Schappacher are still alive and still live in Florida.

The prosecutors were seeking the death penalty but right before his trial was to begin, he was offered a plea deal. He pled no contest to first degree murder and first degree attempted murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Burnside will be eligible for parole in the year 2022 when he will be 85 years old.

Dave Otteni's injuries were massive. A total of 8 pieces of shot hit him, injuring his lungs, pancreas, intestines and spleen. His weight dropped from 155 to 95 pounds. He was bedridden for 6 months and it was a year before he could leave home without assistance. To this day Otteni suffers from PTSD. Otteni began carrying a gun after the shooting whenever he left the house. This got him into trouble. On July 31st, 2006 he was arrested and charged with armed trespassing at a Home Depot store in Bradenton. He was returning about 5 dollars worth of items when a cashier said she could not give a refund. Otteni asked to speak to a manager. There was a blow up and someone saw that he had a concealed weapon even though he had a permit for it. The store called the cops and he was arrested despite not doing anything illegal and was charged with 4 counts of armed trespassing. He could have received up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all charges. However in June of 2007 he was acquitted of all charges.

I also found out that in January of 1988, that Jim Burnside HAD been arrested for violating the no contact order between him and Annette that had been granted in December of 1987. He was arrested after being seen riding a bicycle through the parking lot of the dealership where Annette worked. He was arrested for violating the no contact order but the charges were dropped just days before Annette was murdered. The State Attorney's office claimed they did not have the money to prosecute such cases.

[kadrmas15]

Also, Burnside, for him to plead no contest tells me he knew the chances were better than not he would get the death penalty. Only a few men are on Florida's death row from Manatee County. Melvin Trotter, first sentenced to death on May 18th, 1987 following a recommendation by a 9 to 3 vote. Trotter in 1990, his conviction was upheld but his death sentence thrown out. On May 23rd, 1993 he was sentenced to death again after a jury vote of 11 to 1. Trotter's death sentence results from the June 16th, 1986 murder of a store owner whom Trotter strangled but when she would not die he stabbed her 6 times. She died from bleeding to death. It was a robbery, Trotter ended up getting 100 dollars in cash 30 dollars worth of food stamps, that is all that was in the register. Trotter was 26 when first sentenced to death, he is now 49.

Daniel Burns was sentenced to death on June 2nd, 1988 for the August 18th, 1987 murder of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Jeff Young during a traffic stop. Burns was a drug dealer and he often trafficked in drugs on a route from Fort Myers to Detroit. Young pulled over Burns and seeing that he out of state plates, Michigan plates ran a check and also asked Burns if he could search the vehicle which Burns allowed. When Young opened the trunk he found cocaine, it was later found there was 10,000 dollars worth of cocaine in the trunk. Burns then began to struggle with Young and was able to gain control of Young's gun and shot him in the head. Burns was sentenced to death on June 3rd, 1988 by a 10 to 2 jury vote. In 1992, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Burns conviction but tossed out his death sentence. on July 6th, 1994, Burns was again sentenced to death after a 12 to 0 jury recommendation. Burns was 43 when first sentenced to death. He is now 65.

The only other man on Florida's death row from Manatee County is Blaine Ross. Ross was sentenced to death on November 16th, 2007 after being convicted of the murders of his parents that occurred on January 7th, 2004. Ross was sentenced to death after an 8 to 4 jury recommendation. Ross was 25 when he was sentenced to death, he is now 28.

[Oldschooler81]

Wow, thanks for the info Kadramas. Excellent posts. Sounds like Jim was already dangerous or at least bad news to begin with, but his absolute worst side came out with Annette.

Of course it's probably easier said than done in hindsight, but I always thought one solution should've been for Annette to have left him, while someone alerted the police to his threats towards killing her parents (sadly something he probably would've done, and certainly capable of).

Sounds like things were even worse than I suspected. The UM segment didn't even go into the first divorce attempt. They made it seem like after the first signs of trouble (circa 1982/83, when he called her at the shelter and threatened her into coming back) things were relatively okay or at least tolerable, until he smashed up her new car and told his daughter he'd kill her.

The real tragedy is how she was so close to being free of Jim, and he ended up being able to kill her in broad daylight!


That's unfortunate about Dave. I'm glad he at least survived, but I don't blame him for carrying a gun or having stress disorder after what happened. I bet he probably still feels guilty he wasn't able to save Annette too.

[carebears]

Jim Burnside died in prison in 2015.I didn’t see the post here.

[schmave]

I don't think there's any doubt about it ... first to go after a girl that much younger than him (especially when she is a teenager ... if you're 58 and 30, that's a bit different), then to be such an abusive and controlling monster and eventually a murderer.

[charmedsignora]

I learned a lot about sociopaths from studying about Marie Hilley. Sociopaths are only sweet to someone when they need something from them. Jim was sweet to Annette up until their wedding; is that what he wanted? A wife, ANY wife?

[StackTime]

If you ask if any person is a sociopath, you need to review the DSM criteria for antisocial personality disorder. That is the contemporary equivalent of a diagnosis of sociopathy - has been for a while, and was the case when Burnside killed his wife and attempted to kill her friend. Sociopathy in and of itself is no longer a valid diagnosis. Just used in conversation.

My own take is that it is possible (that he would meet the criteria for ASPD). I think he definitely had a personality disorder, but it is between antisocial or narcissistic, with other problems (substance abuse) attached.

[DazzlerSparkler]

Yasss marie

[5thcorps]

Was Jim Burnside a sociopath?
YES

[dynoguy88]

Seeing that Jim was 46 when he married Annette, he must have had previous relationships. It would be interesting to know how he treated THOSE women.

As soon as he said, "I do" with Annette, he immediately went psycho. You don't become a madman like that overnight. It wouldn't surprise me if his previous loves went in to hiding, or ended up dead like Annette.

[dcguy80]

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

Seeing that Jim was 46 when he married Annette, he must have had previous relationships. It would be interesting to know how he treated THOSE women.

As soon as he said, "I do" with Annette, he immediately went psycho. You don't become a madman like that overnight. It wouldn't surprise me if his previous loves went in to hiding, or ended up dead like Annette.

I do wish the segment talked more about his past. They made it seem like Jim was a decent, upstanding guy until the day he married Annette. He may have put on that facade long enough to get her to agree to marry him but he had no intention of being a good husband. He was likely using her for the sex and when he realized he wouldn't be getting that anymore, he had no use for her. No doubt he did that to other women and Annette is probably not the only woman he killed

[jOHnNyD]

Her mother said in the segment that she didn’t like Jim Burnside the moment she met him, and that was before the marriage. He probably was nice enough to Annette at first to get her committed to him, but the mother could see right through this creep where Annette could not.

[dcguy80]

She was a lonely teenage girl and a man was giving her attention. She never stood a chance. She didn't realize she could have done much better than him. Jim Burnside wasn't even a good looking man. He was a pure redneck. He was so gross. If she could have resisted him, she probably would be alive today. On a positive note, both of her daughters are alive and doing very well. Both are married with children of their own. I am curious to know who raised them after Annette's death.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by dcguy80

She was a lonely teenage girl and a man was giving her attention. She never stood a chance. She didn't realize she could have done much better than him. Jim Burnside wasn't even a good looking man. He was a pure redneck. He was so gross. If she could have resisted him, she probably would be alive today. On a positive note, both of her daughters are alive and doing very well. Both are married with children of their own. I am curious to know who raised them after Annette's death.

It has to be Annette's mother that raised them, no? Either way, just another tragic case of both parents either dying or being in jail and/or dying.

Here is the thing with Jim, yes I believe he was a psycho waiting to blow right from the beginning. Annette was pretty, I can't believe she didn't think she could do better than a guy 28 years older than her. But either way, he charmed her enough for it to work.

But this isn't a case of someone like Denis DePue. With his case, I can see a life he had that was once genuine. A father of 3, a husband. A house, etc. Then a divorce happens and he is perhaps not being treated as fair as he thinks he should be from Marilyn and things blow up one day when he is picking the kids up and he snaps and pushes his wife down the stairs. Everything he did after that was just one bad decision after another. Killing Marilyn. Dumping her body. Hiding for a year or so. Hooking up with another woman, sending letters back to his hometown, and obviously abandoning his kids. Lastly, the near shootout he had with police before taking his own life. Yes, I can see things being very different otherwise. I can see that if the divorce went smoother and he wasn't in a bad mood the day he picked his kids up that this entire thing never happens. Which is sad.

But with Jim it is all abuse from the get go.