 Burke in 1989 | |
 Burke in 2010 | |
| Steve Burke | |
| Portrayed by | Rob Benedict (1989) Joel Polis (2010) |
| Episode | Almost Paradise |
| Status | Arrested |
Steve Burke was the principal of McKinley High School, the former assistant principal back in in 1989 and Felicia Grant's killer.
History[]
Steve had grown captivated by Felicia's accomplishments and good looks, and was deeply infatuated with her. He went as far as pulling strings at the University of California, Berkeley to guarantee her acceptance.
Steve was amongst the chaperones of McKinley High School's senior prom on May 20th, 1989. He nearly busted Felicia's boyfriend, Cole Austen, for drinking, but she defended him. Steve later announced the names of the Prom King and Queen.
After prom, Felicia became locked out of the school with no ride home. Steve saw this and offered her a lift. Too cheer her up, he took one last photo of Felicia with her disposable camera (which all the students at prom received). During the ride, Steve wondered why the prom queen didn't want to attend the after-party and became concerned when he saw Felicia crying. She confided in him about her bad night: breaking up with her boyfriend and love of her life, Cole, the argument with her best friend, Suzie Hill, over her secret past with Suzie’s date, Lee Mavoides, and her uncertainty about her future. Steve comforted Felicia and told her to call him by his first name instead of "Mr. Burke". She smiled and obliged, leaning in closer to him. Steve seized the opportunity and forcefully kissed her, causing her to push him off and flee from the car. Steve, angered at her rejection and/or worried that she would report him, sped up his car and mowed Felicia down, killing her instantly.
Ironically enough, Steve was the one to get Felicia's case reopened 20 years later in 2010 after some old photos of her at prom turned up. He is last seen being arrested for her murder.
Burke is pretty much the foil of Evan "Corky" Mazer. They both misread Felicia's intentions, except Burke acted on it with fatal consequences.