GUILTY OK - Travis Taylor for stalking, threatening woman online, Terlton, 2011

[Filly]

And yes I thought some of the comments people posted on his facebook page were cruel, they don't know this guy and he is obviously going through a rough time right now.

With all due respect I will say this and hopefully we'll all move on with this case. Often we see only one side of things. I know I often do. However, I try to put the shoe on the other foot so to speak.

The things he wrote to this woman were cruel. We don't know her. She's obviously going through a rough time as well. In coming out with this she is also IMO helping victims up the road. If someone threatened your pets as you mentioned with your own stalker would you contact the guy's family? Anyone that writes they'll scalp you I'd say that's way beyond calling up his mom. In fact he mentioned his own mom in that e-mail. So indeed I highly doubt it would have helped calling mom.

O.K. back to this guy. Ummmmmmm, the eyelashes in the heart? Very scary. Thanks to Flourish for pointing us toward the e-mail and for her kindness in keeping us in check before our good Mods could come over.

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

Also a lot of the people posting WERE friends of both him and Lexie and they were appalled. These weren't strangers attacking him out of the blue. They actually knew this <modsnip> in person.

<modsnip> He obviously committed a crime against her that the police felt warranted arrest and she most likely figured she had nothing to lose by coming forward---the woman seriously thought she was going to DIE. She wanted to world to be able to identify her killer. She was tired of trying to deal with him behind the scenes. She became convinced he was going to make good on his threats and she wanted to shine the light on what had been going on so that there was a clear path and answers to what had happened to her--because she was pretty sure she was about to be murdered.

Holy cow.

 

[Nancy2441]

Sonya, I don't believe his mother or anyone else could have "talked sense to him". I don't think contacting his friends would have helped either. She did the right thing contacting LE and he is locked up as he should be. I would have done the exact same thing if I were in her shoes. I don't understand at all feeling sorry for him and not feeling sorry or having any sympathy for his victim. <modsnip>

Also as someone who was threatened in the past by notes and email it is every bit as terrifying as threats in person or over the phone.

Stalking, taking photos of, and making death threats is serious business and I don't think it's some trivial thing. The fact that he does not have a violent criminal history doesn't mean anything. You hear stories all the time on the news about people who become violent with no criminal history; like Jared Loughner. JMO.

 

[Tinsamd]

Yes I posted on his wall, that was me.

I just think since she went to highschool with this guy, since she was connected to his facebook page which means she could have contacted some of his friends, she could have tried to reach out to them or his parents and let them know the guy was going off of his rocker.

The victim granted interviews on this and allowed the papers to post her picture! If you are worried about being stalked why would you want that level of publicity? With stalkers the hope is that they will lose interest and move on, giving interviews in which you are talking about them, and posting pix of yourself just reinforces the bond in their minds. It gives them more to obsess over.

And yes I thought some of the comments people posted on his facebook page were cruel, they don't know this guy and he is obviously going through a rough time right now.

Wow, my mind is a little blown here.

From what I've read on this case, the victim had other priorities at the time. Why should she have taken any action at all to help this <modsnip> with his issues.

Her priorities sound like they were spot on with staying alive.

 

[flourish]

I can understand how his friends and/or loved ones could be upset when hearing that their friend and/or loved one has been arrested...for anything. I imagine that concern increases when the violent and disturbing nature of the charges is revealed. I imagine that anyone who knew him and -wasn't- surprised or shocked or concerned about him might be having some soul-searching moments right about now. For as every victim in a crime has friends, family, loved ones--so it is for the perpetrator, who also has friends, family, and loved ones. Those close to the perpetrator can be considered victims, as the crime negatively impacts their lives, too. I understand that and feel compassion for anyone who is negatively impacted by a perpetrator's criminal actions.

HOWEVER

Too often those closest to the perpetrator have had ample opportunities to recognize "red flags," and intervene appropriately, and either they didn't, or their efforts weren't enough. In any case, family and friends often lack the objectivity it requires to evaluate the situation accurately. That is not a criticism--it's natural.

While some may feel it's unnecessary to seek assistance from law enforcement unless there is an immediate and imminent threat of bodily harm, I think many others recognize that it is usually too late at that point. Most people, I'd think, would rather be a little embarrassed at over-reacting to a situation than bleeding out on some psycho's basement floor because they didn't listen to that innate little voice inside that was screaming out warnings weeks ago.

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

If you go back to the original article that was posted, locals are posting more and more comments about this guy, including other women who have dated him and also been threatened by him.

He is truly scary.

 

[flourish]

And if anyone's interested in his booking information, which actually includes two charges, it can be found here:


http://okpawnee.jailsoftware.com/PressArrestRelease.asp?itbSiteID=15&ArrestNo=2011000101

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

And if anyone's interested in his booking information, which actually includes two charges, it can be found here:


http://okpawnee.jailsoftware.com/PressArrestRelease.asp?itbSiteID=15&ArrestNo=2011000101

The good news is he's only a buck forty.

 

[Sonya610]

If you go back to the original article that was posted, locals are posting more and more comments about this guy, including other women who have dated him and also been threatened by him.

Yeah apparently he has made weird comments to other women. Weird comment about date rape, and next he is quoting Silence of the Lambs. Cannibalism is a very specific fetish, people just don't wake up one day at 30 and decide they have a fetish for eating human flesh, and if they really are into eating flesh they stay with that and don't add the other cool idea in the book about wearing human skin. People that have extreme death fetishes generally develop their tastes young, they may escalate, but the basic desires and themes remain the same.

I am convinced this guy was dark and twisted but just trolling/harassing. He was angry and spiteful and a bit sick so he started writing stupid cliche "scary stuff" ONE TIME because he gets off on the idea of being dark and scary (but he apparently doesn't have any original ideas). His ideas were not authentic and they were not real, they were angry shock words designed to upset the female that rejected him. When the recipients mother is a cop things can escalate quickly to search warrants and charges.

Sounds like if he is rejected he gets spiteful and starts spewing crazy dark stuff. Then he disappears and sulks quietly (based on the comments of other women that claim he said weird stuff). If he were taking pictures of her it as likely during the "let's just be friends stage" or when he thought she might reschedule that date, in his mind he was smitten and he probably thought she would find the idea of pictures "romantic" when they fell in love and settled down.

Hennigh said she was flattered at first and eventually agreed to go out with him. But her father came to town, so she canceled the date. (snip)

A few weeks later, she accepted another friend request from Taylor, thinking she had gotten the point across that she was displeased by the comments. She also sent messages telling him that she wanted only to be friends with him.

http://www2.tulsaworld.com/webextra...id=450&articleid=20110219_11_A19_CUTLIN358031

Note the above article refers to the ONE message, not a series of threatening messages but ONE.

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

I am convinced this guy was dark and twisted but just trolling/harassing. He was angry and spiteful and a bit sick so he started writing stupid cliche "scary stuff" because he gets off on the idea of being scary. His ideas were not authentic and they were not real, they were angry shock words designed to upset the female that rejected him.

I do believe that you are correct about this one. He sees this as some sort of psychological payback.

However, it's time he realizes that what he is doing is not only a gross over-reaction to his hurt feelings but it's also illegal.

 

[Sonya610]

However, it's time he realizes that what he is doing is not only a gross over-reaction to his hurt feelings but it's also illegal.

It maybe illegal but trust me unless you threaten the President ONE online death threat does not usually lead to search warrants and a quick arrest. I have had a few twisted emails and online death threats, this is the internet.

Not saying what he did was okay but it is not that unusual, and trust me the rest of us couldn't call 911 about an "upsetting email" and have a search warrant and arrest within hours.

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

It maybe illegal but trust me unless you threaten the President ONE online death threat does not usually lead to search warrants and a quick arrest. I have had a few twisted emails and online death threats, this is the internet.

Not saying what he did was okay but it is not that unusual, and trust me the rest of us couldn't call 911 about an "upsetting email" and have a search warrant and arrest within hours.

This is just not true. I personally know someone who was subjected to anonymous harassment via email. Death threats and disgusting insults. She filed a police complaint and was able to determine not only the perpetrator via a search warrant to the ISP but that it was a woman on a health support group of all places who just hated her guts for some reason and was enjoying tormenting her.

The female perpetrator lived in a different state than the victim and *was* charged with a crime.

I am really baffled by your insistence that this sort of behavior is no big deal and that police overreacted. It's totally inconsistent with what you stated about your own stalking experience and your own fears.

 

[peeples]

FWIW-
I was listening to the local scanner a week or so ago, and a lady called in to say that she was having her life threatened via Facebook and wanted and officer to come talk to her. They got to her ASAP about 10 minutes or so. She didn't seem to be related to a cop or anything. So i think they do take this stuff serious.

 

[Sonya610]

This is just not true. I personally know someone who was subjected to anonymous harassment via email. Death threats and disgusting insults.

I am really baffled by your insistence that this sort of behavior is no big deal and that police overreacted. It's totally inconsistent with what you stated about your own stalking experience and your own fears.

The time I was spooked it was by someone I had known personally, had been in my house many times, knew my animals etc... It was not merely text. Plus I knew the guy had obsessive traits and could easily play on my affection for my animals. Plus I said early on the comments about stuff happening 15 years ago were creepy, but in fact I don't think they happened years before he was referring to recent events (breaking off the facebook date etc...). That is in the moment reaction not obsessing over ancient history.

And to get the police involved regarding email harrassment (unless you are a high ranking person with power) means providing multiple emails as evidence. You don't call the cops after one odd email from some guy you were talking to on facebook and have the police go into ultra high gear and provide an immediate search warrant and arrest for someone never knowingly convicted of a serious crime. That kind of response is called "special".

Death threats are one thing but I have never encountered ongoing email harrassment. Not sure how email harrassment occurs, isn't there a block button on most email clients?

 

[Sonya610]

FWIW-
I was listening to the local scanner a week or so ago, and a lady called in to say that she was having her life threatened via Facebook and wanted and officer to come talk to her. They got to her ASAP about 10 minutes or so. She didn't seem to be related to a cop or anything. So i think they do take this stuff serious.

Probably depends on the size of the city, in NYC or Los Angeles I doubt they would be rushing over there, they would probably ask "Ma'am have you tried blocking the offending messages? Do you believe they have your physical address? What was the nature of the threats? Okay well send copies of the offending messages to this address....."

In my town yeah they would rush over cause they don't have that much to do, and then they would ask "So this was some problem on the internet? What happened Sweetheart, we got all night to hear about it".

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

Not sure how email harrassment occurs, isn't there a block button on most email clients?

Yeah and there's refusal of regular mail.

And there's putting your hands over your eyes so you don't see anything bad.

It really doesn't change the threat.

 

[flourish]

So...he's said inappropriate things to women before, is unoriginal, which seems to be more offensive than threatening a person, and maybe he thought showing her his stalking photos would be a cute story later.

I highly disagree. Let's see what the State of Oklahoma has to say about it:

1173. Stalking--Penalties. 1999.

A. Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or harasses another person in a manner that:

1. Would cause a reasonable person or a member of the immediate family of that person as defined in subsection F of this section to feel frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested; and

2. Actually causes the person being followed or harassed to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested, upon conviction, shall be guilty of the crime of stalking, which is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one (1) year or by a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment....

Evidence that the defendant continued to engage in a course of conduct involving repeated unconsented contact with the victim after having been requested by the victim to discontinue the same or a different form of unconsented contact, and to refrain from any further unconsented contact with the victim, shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that the continuation of the course of conduct caused the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested

http://www.esia.net/State_Stalking_Laws.htm

 

[Sonya610]

If the guy from your past had written in one of those letters he'd scalp your pets, and eat their intestines and stuff their fur in their hearts and then consume it would you play that off as just him having obsessive traits? Even if it was just for shock value.

If he had written that there wouldn't have been 8 letters. Probably a really tense few months for me, or maybe just some very intense and strange high drama, but trust me not 8 letters. I am not tolerant of those threats and I do not call 911. If someone says they want to wear my skin or eat my liver with some fava beans I will LOL...and if i think they were trying to threaten I will tell them to stop being stupid. If someone suggests they will hurt my animals that is not funny. It is serious.

 

[Filly]

and maybe he thought showing her his stalking photos would be a cute story later.

Oh nooooo. Not cute for sure.

Thanks Flourish for the penalties information.

 

[STEADFAST]

Since Oklahoma law (and federal law) make it a crime to threaten people with violence over the internet, then anyone who does so is liable to be arrested and face whatever penalties apply.

If the fb transcript was accurate, then it looks to me like this man is quite dangerous, especially if he also secretly photographed the victim. If he isn't dangerous, well then, he certainly went to a lot of trouble to make it seem like he's a deranged killer, so I don't see how he could complain about being arrested.

The victim would have been very foolish if she had laughed off these extreme and explicit threats of rape, torture and murder.