Chris Burrous

Burrous was the son of a farmer and NASA engineer. He attended Chapman University in Orange, California, and earned a broadcast journalism degree.[1][2]

While still at Chapman, he began his 20-year journalism career as a news anchor at three radio stations–KARA-FM, KLIV-AM, and KRTY-FM–all located in nearby California cities.[3] In 1996, while still in university, Burrous joined NBC 11 KNTV as a writer and associate producer, and a year later served as morning drive talk show host on the radio for KCKC-AM/KCXX-FM.

When Burrous graduated Chapman University in 1997, he became the main news anchor at KEVN-LD in Rapid City, South Dakota. In January 1999, he moved south to KGET-TV in Bakersfield, California to become the station's morning news anchor. While there, he met Mai Do, a journalist, who became his wife.[4]

His next move was as the morning news anchor at KGPE-TV in Fresno, California,[5] and KMAX-TV/KOVR-TV Sacramento, California.[6] At the latter, Burrous became anchor for the newly launched Good Day Sacramento weekend morning show that aired on the two affiliated stations.[7]

In 2010, Burrous moved to New York City to take an anchor job at WPIX's PIX 11[1] before returning to the west coast in 2011, to join WPIX sister station KTLA.[8] There he helped expand the station's Morning News program as weekend anchor, while also doing reporting on weekdays.[9] He had featured segments at KTLA that included "Burrous Bites", reviews of local restaurants, and "Made in California", reports on area businesses.[10]

According to a Los Angeles County coroner's report, Burrous died from methamphetamine toxicity, complicated by hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease on December 27, 2018. He was found unresponsive at a Glendale, California Days Inn. [11] It was reported that Burrous was in the company of a male companion, and had been engaged in a sexual encounter and using crystal meth at the time of his death, which he had inserted into his anus. His death was ruled an accident.[9]

Burrous was survived by his wife, Mai Do Burrous, a journalist he met while they were both working at KGET, and daughter, Isabella, 9 years old at the time of his death.[5]