In the early morning hours of November 5, 2015, a ShotSpotter activation brought Suffolk County Police to Bellport Avenue in North Bellport, where 52-year-old Robert Burks was found shot to death in front of a house. Burks, a longtime resident who had attended Bellport High School, lived with his mother and was a father to two adult sons. Family described him as easygoing and generally avoiding confrontation; he was unemployed at the time but had worked previously as a machine operator.

Suffolk County Homicide Squad detectives canvassed the neighborhood and appealed for information, but no motive was publicly released and no suspects were immediately identified. The case remains an unsolved homicide and the investigation is open pending new leads. If anyone knew Robert, saw or heard anything in that North Bellport neighborhood around November 5, 2015, please come forward with information.