Dismembered man's aunt disputes self-defense argument

Family believes Fresno paralegal was sane when man was killed.

Friday, Oct. 31, 2008

The family of the 21-year-old man who was murdered and dismembered last week are disputing defense attorneys' claims that the killer acted in self-defense.

Police say that paralegal Brian Waldron, 50, admitted that he murdered Jonathan Louis Taylor on Oct. 24 after the two got into a fight. Waldron then decapitated and dismembered Taylor in his bathtub before burying his remains in a shallow grave in the Sierra, police say.

Taylor had been living with his mother, Jane Taylor, in a small apartment complex on the 4500 block of East Fountain Way in Fresno, said his aunt, Jill Taylor. She said that their apartment was next door to Waldron's apartment.

Jonathan Taylor and Waldron would sometimes hang out together smoking cigarettes and drinking, Jill Taylor said. About 7 p.m. on the night of the murder, she said, Jane Taylor saw her son standing outside Waldron's apartment talking with Waldron. The door was open, and they appeared to be having a casual conversation.

At a news conference earlier this week, Waldron's defense attorneys said that at some point that night Taylor forced his way into Waldron's apartment. Waldron told police that Taylor demanded a cigarette and a drink, and the two got into a shoving match. Waldron grabbed a metal pipe and struck Taylor, killing him.

Jill Taylor said that Jane Taylor, who is her sister, didn't hear any loud noises coming from Waldron's apartment that night, and she questions whether a fight actually ever occurred.

"We don't know what really happened," she said.

Jill Taylor said her sister was advised not to comment on her son's murder.

Also, Jill Taylor said she doesn't believe that Jonathan Taylor was the type of person to barge into someone's apartment. She said Taylor clearly was the victim in this case -- not Waldron.

Waldron told police that after he killed Taylor, he dragged the body into his bathtub where he cut it into pieces. The next day, Waldron buried Taylor's remains, police said.

Waldron worked for defense attorney David Mugridge, who is one of the four attorneys representing him. Mugridge declined to comment Friday on Jill Taylor's version of events. He has previously said Waldron acted in self-defense.

Waldron has pleaded not guilty and is being held in the Fresno County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Jill Taylor said she decided to talk about the murder because she is angry with how defense attorneys have described the incident.

"It seems like they're trying to smear my nephew," she said.

Jonathan Taylor was a normal 21-year-old who enjoyed sports, hanging out with his friends, and riding dirt bikes, Jill Taylor said. He was a Hoover High School graduate, was unemployed, and had a 5-year-old son. His family said he had hoped to join the Air Force one day.

Jill Taylor disputed rumors that her nephew was a Bulldog gang member. Police say that Taylor was not a gang member, though he had recently been associating with some gang members.

Taylor's family believes that Waldron was sane when Taylor was killed, though they don't know what would have motivated the killing. They were shocked to hear what happened to Taylor's body.

"It was pretty unimaginable what he did," said another of Taylor's aunts, Kim Taylor. "This is something that will stick with you for the rest of your life."