The DV Murder of Michael Taylor

I have wondered at times if people who die in the early morning hours noticed the sunset, the stars,  or nature’s beauty the night before. I wondered that about Michael Taylor, a 39-year-old maintenance supervisor for Fogelman Management Group, in Memphis, Tennessee when I read of his early morning death.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 Michael was shot twice, once in the heart and once about two inches behind the right ear, allegedly during an argument. When his wife, Pamela Taylor contacted police around 9 A.M., she advised a man had been shot in the chest. The police arrived to discover her husband deceased. They took Pamela to the station and charged her on Christmas Eve with second degree murder. On December 28, 2010, they arraigned Pamela via video.

In March of 2010 during a preliminary hearing in domestic violence court, the Judge amended the second degree murder to voluntary manslaughter charge. Pamela’s bond was set for 100000.00.

According to a nearby resident in the apartment complex the visit that fatal morning wasn’t the first time police units had been to the home. His comment has me wondering if domestic violence was an ongoing issue. I haven’t discovered anything concerning it-  if that was the reason for previous police presence at the Taylor home.

The DA’s Office sent the case to the grand jury and they indicted her on premeditated first-degree murder. Missy Branham, the state prosecutor, asked for a bond increase and more restrictions to be placed on Pamela. Apparently in a few short months she’d moved several times. Pamela’s lawyer, Andre Wharton, argued that his client had kept up with the bonding agent as ordered by court and wasn’t a flight risk. Wharton allegedly stated Pamela wants her story told. Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan increased the bond to 150000.00. Pamela has to check in with court authorities three times per week and wear a GPS monitor.

This case has premeditation written all over it to me, the reason she made the decision to shoot her husband twice is a question only she can answer. But allegedly she purchased the gun the day before her husband was shot; he was shot twice, allegedly she had the gun in the sleeve of her sweatshirt and shot him. And too, I wonder why Pamela neglected to advise police that her husband had been shot in the head as well as the chest when she made the call that fateful morning.

A Disturbing Case of Extreme Compassion

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Back in January a young woman was at her home and in the shower. A masked man, Christopher Bayer, welding a knife pulled back the shower curtain, pulled her out the bathroom and put her on the bed, held her down and cut her face when she struggled. Bayer is 21 and the young woman apparently around 19/20. I surmise the age since she mentioned in her impact statement that she didn’t have previous relationship with Bayer but they did go to same high school. Bayer was 2 grades ahead of her. Bayer told the police she and he were face book friends. In her statement she wrote that her family and the defendant’s family were acquainted and his family was kind, caring and supportive people. She did not verify their FB friendship.

The whole impact statement is very disturbing. I have to wonder why so soon after the attack Bayer was before a Judge and sentenced. I am worried that the victim had pressure from both families to agree to allow him to pay such a small price for his crime. And do it so soon, get it over with. He was violent, obviously knew who she was, and masked himself; probably in hope she wouldn’t recognize him. The Judge at the request of the victim and family sentenced Bayer to 6 months in jail, gave her a restraining order and gave him 5 year probation. He cannot contact her before 2019. The defendant stated she wanted him to have a chance to rehabilitate. The Assistant DA said the family wants Bayer to get psychiatric treatment; according to what I read he may have to go through sex offender counseling if the jail counselors feel he needs it.

Her impact statement details classic victim PTSD, including panic attacks and I pray she can go back to college and continue her education after they release him. She couldn’t read the statement herself, after a couple sentences her mother had to take it and read the statement for her.

This is a PDF of her statement: http://www.whec.com/whecimages/shower.attack.vic.statement.pdf  

Although I believe in compassion in some cases, this ‘extreme’ compassion disturbs me. I think they should have given him a much longer sentence in jail and still be on probation after release. Bayer apologized, said he was sorry for the 'victim’s family' and his family for his actions. But that doesn’t read like an apology to his victim. Just her family.

The Accused Edwin Coello’s Violence and Tina Adovasio’s Death

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This is a classic case with domestic violence prominent in the accused previous and present marital history.

Hello! Warning signs!

Edwin Coello lost his police officer job in 2000 due to domestic violence allegations during his first marriage.

In 2006 Tina Adovasio contacted police about Edwin’s violence against her, they charged him, but he was allowed to plea and got a conditional discharge. In 2007 he attacked her and she was hospitalized. UGH!

According to an article written in http://www.nydailynews.com/  Tina’s mom said Coello had beat Tina a couple years ago so badly she had to get stitches and had two black eyes.

In one of the cases of Edwin Coello attacking Tina she was holding their then one-year-old child in her arms; he grabbed the phone from her and threw it against the wall a couple times. His rage wasn’t abated yet so he proceeded to knock the stereo and trophies to the floor. He admitted to this later and excused his actions, including the hole in the wall as ‘I was pissed off.’ Yep, now  isn't that just the greatest of  reasons to cause such damage, frighten a baby and cause extreme emotional harm to his wife!

In Feb of this year Tina filed for divorce and got an order of protection.

Edwin Coello contested the divorce.

On March 11 of this year Tina disappeared.

On Monday 14, 2011 police picked up Edwin but released him hours later after they asked to search his car. The cops had wanted to search his car.

On Tuesday the police were able to seize his car for search.

On Wed Feb 15 Tina’s body was found in woods in Westchester County.

Folks, if you are in a violent relationship, know anyone who is going through abuse of any kind including emotional abuse then please, advise them or see they get a copy of the book: ‘Time’s Up: A guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships by Susan Murphy Milano

                                                                   
Many books exists on abuse and many organizations can help abuse victims. Including the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Yes, I do recommend you contact an organization. But Susan’s book is a must get, must read book in my opinion.

Nancy's Demise and The Trial of Bradley Cooper

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During the last three years, I’ve read articles depicting circumstantial evidence pointing toward Nancy’s husband, Bradley Cooper, as the one who strangled her. Nancy Cooper was killed July 12, 2008.


However, it is what I’ve heard in the trial from friends of Nancy and Brad’s that have led me to believe the circumstantial evidence is painting a vivid picture and growing in strength; I’m leaning toward believing Brad was the one who caused Nancy’s death.

We’ve heard much about Nancy’s marriage and the night her friends last saw her.

On Saturday, July 12, 2008, Nancy allegedly left her home for a run with a friend, which was common for her to do. She was an avid runner and trained for marathons. However, Nancy had made plans for 8a.m. Saturday morning to paint a friend’s, Jessica Adam’s, dining room and later had plans with another friend. For Nancy to not keep her appointments were not usual. All her friends were immediately suspicious. Jessica had spoken with Brad a couple times on the phone that Saturday but it was she who called police to report her friend missing.

On Monday, July 14, 2008, they discovered Nancy’s body 3 miles from her home in an area where a newly developed subdivision was to be built, and lying on the bank of a storm water pond.

Some of the things we’ve heard at trial so far:

Nancy and Brad’s marriage was in dire straits.

Nancy often spoke with friends about her concerns of her marriage and the trouble it was in.

Nancy hired a lawyer to help her with her marital separation.

Nancy had filed for separation and allegedly had intention of divorcing Brad and moving back to Canada.

Brad had refused to separate.

Brad put Nancy on a strict weekly allowance to cover the household needs, groceries etc., but it wasn’t enough to cover all the needs.

Brad at times would follow Nancy to the gas station and put the gas in, just enough to get her where she had to go and back home, to the children’s schools, the grocery etc.. (Also it was testified to that he did this so Nancy couldn’t get cash withdrawals with the payment charge.)

Nancy and Brad had an argument in hearing of neighbors. (This wasn’t normal.)

Brad had an affair with one of Nancy’s friends.

Brad made passes at another close friend of Nancy’s.

Brad talked about sleeping with a woman to his male friends.

Brad was negative about Nancy’s paint job when he came to pick up the children the day Nancy painted at Jessica Adam’s home.

Brad did not report Nancy missing, Jessica Adam did.

A friend, Jessica Adam, saw Nancy’s purse and cell phone in her car on the passenger seat the day she disappeared. (The car was at home parked in the driveway)

After Nancy was reported missing, Brad cleaned out the garage.

They always parked both vehicles in the drive, but suddenly the car was inside it.

Brad actions, and the way he carried himself was suspicious to neighbors and friends the day Nancy went missing, and the days following her disappearance.

One suspicious thing to me, and I question, is why Brad walked over to Diana Duncan’s house and asked she help look for a ‘black dress’ Nancy was wearing Friday night. (Nancy was wearing a green dress with black designs in the fabric. Diana concluded that Brad was putting the thought in her mind that Nancy wore black so it was a black dress she searched for. We’ve heard testimony that the dress allegedly had a stain due to Nancy spilling something on it but friends attending the dinner party didn’t remember that happening.)

Nancy had a diamond necklace that she wore and never removed from her neck. (Apparently, we will hear she wasn’t wearing the necklace when they discovered her body. )

Violence Over A Parking Space

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I will never understand how someone can commit horrific violence of rage against others, and due to that lack of understanding, I see negatives when reading of it. On February 25, 2011, in New York, Lana Rosas decided to stand in a parking space and wait for her boyfriend to arrive so (according to reports in news) they could dine out. She wanted to save the parking spot for him.


Oscar Fuller wanted to park his car in the spot Lana was standing in so he could (according to reports in news) attend a birthday party. According to his account he ‘politely’ asked Lana to step aside so he could park and she refused. Mr. Fuller then exited his vehicle and she began punching him in the eye and face. Fuller claims self defense and reflex action for hitting Lana so hard it pulled her off the ground and caused her to drop to the concrete. Mr. Fuller fled the scene but Lana’s boyfriend saw the altercation and rushed to Lana’s defense. He also got the tag number of the car Fuller was driving.

Paramedics rushed an unconscious Lana to the hospital; she is still in a coma and fighting for her life. Doctors have removed part of her skull due to brain swelling. As they were treating Lana at the scene and later rushing her to the hospital, Mr. Fuller calmly went to that birthday party.

Fuller says he regrets hitting her and wishes it’d never happened. He blames his reflex actions on his teen years when he was attacked and cut on the face. The scars of that cut are still visible on his face today. However, it seems Mr. Fuller has a history of committing assault and drug possession.  Fuller is a big man, 5-feet-7 weighing at least 150 pounds. Lana weighs 100 pounds and is 4-foot-11.

I do not know if the altercation was caught on a camera or if Lana’s boyfriend or some other bystander just witnessed it, but ‘no excuse’ is a good excuse for doing what he did. So far as I know, we only have his word that Lana attacked him first. He claims he is a man of God and does not hit women. I ask, if she did throw the first punch, why did she? Did Fuller threaten her and that was why he exited his car, to carry out that threat? I personally see no reason he should have left his car if he did not intend to harm her in some way.

I am a bit upset that while Lana lies in a hospital bed fighting for her life, Oscar Fuller is out on bail living his.