Trigger Warning These stories mention occurrences of domestic violence and may be triggering to some users. Some names may have been changed.

Fighting for Taylor

By Kelly

**The following is written by a family member of victim of domestic violence and abuse. Names have been changed to protect all involved.**

Justice has been denied to our daughter Taylor Rose, to her two little boys, and to our family. Taylor’s death is an “accidental overdose”. Or so the police say.

But that is not the truth.

We have the evidence to prove it was murder.

Who Taylor Was

Taylor was more than a statistic. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. Taylor was full of life, love, and dreams. She had two beautiful boys who will now grow up without their mother. She deserved to see them grow up, to live a full life, to have the future she dreamed of.

Taylor’s life was stolen from her.

And instead of answers, we’ve been met with silence. Instead of justice, we’ve been met with indifference. Instead, she was left to die.

While the person responsible watched her, 3 feet away from her, for over 11 hours before calling for help. He was asked by the police “Why did you wait so long to call?” He stated, “I panicked.”

Why did you panic if you didn’t kill her? We feel she was discriminated against because of the location where she was found. She was made out to be an alcoholic and an addict.

The Truth

I want everyone to know that my daughter DID NOT DO DRUGS. Honestly, I would have known if she used drugs. I was a Paramedic for 7 years.

Taylor worked as a Surgical Technologist. She was hired at another hospital and was going to take a drug test on Monday, April 1, but she never made it. She worked at a Community College as a Teaching Assistant for the Surgical Technician Program, and in what little free time she had left she drove for Lyft.

When did she have time to do drugs and drink?

The Injustice We Are Facing

We did what any grieving family would do—we fought for answers. We went to everyone.

The police.
Detectives.
The police sergeant.
The State Attorney General
The U.S. Attorney General.
Internal Affairs.
The Governor.
Lawyers.
The FBI.
The DA.
The DEA.
The Police Chief.
The Mayor.
The U.S. Attorney General.
Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo.

And you know what we got in return? Nothing.

No Help

The case was closed without an investigation, without a crime scene being set up, without any effort to find the truth.

We have police body cam footage that shows exactly how badly this case is not being handled correctly. The detective assigned to the case didn’t even show up at the scene.

Instead, he told us, “It’s an accidental overdose. You need to get over it.”

He also told us that Taylor’s killer has immunity under the Good Samaritan Law. Because he waited until authorities arrived after calling 911.

Let me be clear: he watched her die for 11 and a half hours, and then called 911. That is not a Good Samaritan. That is a murderer.

And why is he still free? Because he was an informant. We discovered that he had felony charges in both Denver and Aurora that were mysteriously dropped to misdemeanors when he started working for law enforcement.

The Evidence They Refuse to Look At

We have done the work that law enforcement refused to do. We have:

Pictures of his drugs.
Text messages from Taylor, where she told him that if he didn’t return her belongings, she would take those pictures to the police.
A witness who came forward and said that he drugged her back in November 2023.
Multiple text messages where he threatened our entire family.

They refuse to even look at this evidence. All of them refuse to listen. They refuse to act.

So today, I am asking for everyone’s help. We cannot do this alone.

All in all, we need the media to amplify this story. We need the world to hear Taylor’s name and demand justice for her. We need leaders who will take a stand and do their work. If the people in power refuse to act, we need new leaders who will.

We need community support. Domestic violence and drug-related homicides cannot continue to be ignored. We need reforms. Need accountability. We need change.

This is the Story of Taylor Rose Campbell Martinez.

Check These Resources:

Support Line

Other Resources and Information:

I Will Never Lose Hope for Justice Against A Controlling Abuser

By Survivor Maria **The following is written by a survivor of domestic violence and a violent abuser. Names have been changed to protect all involved.** Breaking My Silence I am writing today to explain my story, to break the silence of silent victims. To encourage others to find their voice....