EDITOR’S NOTE: The family of Robert and Norma Taylor, killed in their Fairwood home March 9, met with Sgt. Cindi West with the King County Sheriff’s Office to talk about their loss and Michael Boysen, the suspect in his grandparents’ deaths.
On Wednesday afternoon I (Sgt. Cindi West-Public Information Officer) sat down and talked with Melanie Taylor, the daughter of murder victims Bob and Norma Taylor, and the mother of suspect Chadd Boysen.
The family has asked the media and public to respect their privacy during this difficult time but said there were some things she wanted to say about her son, her parents and the detectives involved in the investigation.
First, we talked about Chadd. She and her former husband adopted Chadd when he was a baby. Melanie said she “loved him from the minute he was put in my arm.” Chadd was a very loving boy that did not mind showing her affection when she dropped him at school. Because adoptions were “closed” at the time she never had any medical history of his birth parents. Regardless of what that may have been she still would have loved him.
Chadd and his grandparents had a very special close bond. They were like “2nd parents” to Chadd. When he was little his grandparents would pick him up from daycare and he would spend the afternoon with them until Melanie got off work. Bob and Norma loved Chadd “more than life.”
She said Chadd was a good student. He attended high school and did the “Running Start Program” at a local college.
Melanie said as Chadd grew up his addictive behavior came out. Everything he would do, would be to the extreme. She said Chadd started hanging out with “the wrong people” and “lied to her like addicts do, but he never threatened the family and the family never felt threatened by him.”
Melanie said she was the one that turned him in for a series of robberies after she found prescription bottles in her house that did not come from the pharmacy the family used. She said she “loved him, but he needed to obey the law.” Chad was convicted of multiple robberies at 18-19 years of age and spent 5 years in prison.
During Chadd’s 5 years in prison she and her parents visited him every other week. She said they also sent him letters of support and care packages. She said it was during these visit in prison that she could tell he was changing. He became more “rough” which she felt he needed to do to survive in prison.
Towards the end of his 5 year prison sentence she told him that he needed to “make changes and make wise choices when he was released.” She also told him she would not visit him if he was imprisoned again.
Sometime after Chadd was released from prison he severely injured his back playing soccer. He had surgery to repair the back and had to have a 2nd surgery when the first one didn’t take. Chadd ended up with a serious infection which required more hospitalization, another surgery which of course meant drugs. Soon his drug problems and the lying started again.
Chadd eventually had more run-ins with the police and eventually was arrested and imprisoned for burglarizing a home. He spent 9 months in the Monroe prison before being released on Friday, March 8th.
Melanie said it was very painful to have “tough love” and not visit Chadd in prison as she had earlier warned him. She said she wrote him and sent him care packages wanting “ him to know she still loved him but did not agree with his choices.”
As the time drew closer for Chadd to get out of prison an aunt made arrangements for him to go into a 6 month treatment program through the Salvation Army. His grandparents said he was excited to get out and start the program.
The day he was released Bob and Norma picked him up and spent about 6 hours of the day running errands with him to get him things he needed to start the rehab program.
Melanie said that same evening they had a dinner at her parent’s house to celebrate his release. “Chadd was upbeat and talked about the wonderful day he had with his grandparents.” He never showed any signs of aggression that night.
______________________________________________________________________
Bob and Norma
Melanie’s parents Robert (Bob) and Norma celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on March 5th. Her father wanted to dress in a suit and take Norma to his favorite restaurant, Red Lobster. However, Norma did not want to dress up so they decided to take-out KFC and celebrate at home with their dog “Princess.”
Bob and Norma always opened their house up to friends and family. Melanie said when she was a kid they would invite friends over and decorate the house for Halloween. Her parents were always loving and giving.
Norma worked at a bank for 25 years and Bob was the co-owner of a cabinet business. She said her dad had a woodshop behind the house and every Christmas they would do a craft project for friends and family. Last year her parents made wood cut-out, snowmen. Family and friends each got one unfinished and would paint their own. This year Bob and Norma had been working on cut-out reindeers.
Norma lost her hearing about 30 years ago. Even though she couldn’t hear she would attend the grandchildren’s school program. It was something she really enjoyed.
Melanie said of her parents, “when it came to Chadd, they saw the good in him and were forgiving of his choices.”
Melanie said they were like “soldiers and gave their lives for him. If they were given a choice to die and save others they would.” She said her parents “valued Chadd” and she believe other lives were saved because of her parents deaths.
Melanie finished by saying it is “hard to lose them both,” but she is “glad they are together.” She said regardless of what “switched” in Chadd, “they still love him and I do too.” “They were warrior spirits fighting for a cause and that cause was Chadd.”
Melanie closed by talking about the investigation. She said “as stressed out as I am I have grand support from the police. The investigation has been orchestrated and played out as best as possible and done with professionalism and compassion.”
“Our family would like to express our humble gratitude for the outpouring of love, support AND prayers both locally AND nationally.
Our parents requested in lieu of a service or flowers that donations be made to hearing impaired/deaf research or LDS (Mormon) missionary fund.”
The family also wanted to remind people that the effects of drugs AND alcohol doesn’t only hurt the person taking the drugs but others that surround them.
