NoJoMo2007…..All About Taylor

So, as promised, today’s entry is about Taylor A. Bradford.  Taylor was shot on campus, outside his car on Sept. 30 2007.  He jumped in his car and drove out of the parking lot, where we have no idea, and crashed into a tree.  I think he was dead and that was the reason he crashed.  Police began saying that he was targeted because they found $7400 on him when they took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  I’ll never forget the call I got about 30 minutes after they pronounced him dead.  "Taylor was shot" "Taylor who?" "Taylor Bradford"  "Is he okay?"  "They are saying he’s dead"  "No, its just a rumor, it can’t be.  Not Taylor"  "I know, I am praying that it is a rumor" "Call me back if you hear anything else".  I got off the phone and went to my mom and just started crying…..I had known Taylor for about 15 years….met him in the 1st grade.  I couldn’t believe it and by the time I went to sleep I had actually talked myself into believing that it was just a rumor and that he was okay. 

I woke up on October 1st to his face plastered on the news.  "Antioch High School Alumni murdered on Campus last night".  It was real…..my nightmare was a reality. My friend for 75% of my life was dead…..gone…..and he was only 21.  He had 36 credit hours until graduation, a job promised to him….EVERYTHING….and he was gone!  As soon as I heard it I began to think that it was Devin.  Devin and Taylor had gotten into a fight last year and Taylor beat him up.  It was video taped and put on MySpace and YouTube, basically embarassing Devin.  And it was all over Erica,who was Taylor’s ex and Devin’s current girlfriend.  However, no one had any evidence that he did it.  So the week wore on and Erica and Devin were questioned and released.  Deep down inside I had this resentment for Erica, I felt it was her fault. 

The day of his memorial, they released a vehicle of interest..a gold mercury.  At that point I thought it couldn’t have been Devin, because he has no car.  I went to his memorial service on Friday, and the funeral on Saturday and we had a party in his memory….I got drunk, hell we all did.  On Monday, they had on the news that they arrested 3 men that confessed to the murder and they had one more arrest on the way……the one more arrest turned out to be Devin.  It turns out that Devin talked the 3 men…boys…into robbing Taylor.  Instead they got nervous when he wouldn’t give them the money and one of them shot him.  They all are charged with 1st degree murder.

I know I skimped and skimmed over the details, but you can google Taylor Bradford or Devin Jefferson and you will get the whole story.  I’ll answer any questions!