William Desmond Taylor Research Paper

1920’s Hollywood was part of a revolutionary era filled with love, drugs, and mystery. The murder of Paramount Studios director William Desmond Taylor was one of the biggest mysteries of the time. Many believe the main suspects are a success crazed stage mom, obsessive actress in love with Taylor, or a man with numerous identities once employed by the star. It is still unknown how the killer got inside Taylor’s home, who the killer is, and what a possible motive could have been for them. In the case of William Desmond Taylor, we know very little about what happened on the night of the murder because neighbors didn’t look into anything suspicious, valuable evidence was destroyed, and suspects gave half-truths. Taylor was born in Carlow,

One theory is that when Taylor was walking Normand to her car the killer snuck into the house and waited for Taylor to come back. The other is that while Taylor was paying bills the killer entered the house quietly enough to where Taylor wouldn’t hear him. Police also know what happened right after Peavey discovered the body. Peavey let out a loud scream that quickly followed with all of Taylor's neighbors and friends piling to the crime scene. Police accounted finding Mabel Normand looking through Taylor’s drawers and Paramount officials burning a stack of his documents. (William Desmond Taylor)In addition, there was also a set of keys that did not match Taylor’s locks on his house or office. Many other “visitors” had taken Taylor’s personal belongings. They had also been informed that an unidentified doctor had inspected the body and ruled the death from natural causes. This is strange because when police turned the body over they found a pile of blood and a bullet hole in his back. Because any real evidence for a motive was destroyed before the police could reach the scene, they could not perform a sufficient investigation. According to the Chicago Herald-Examiner on February 6,

The main suspects are Mabel Normand, Mary Miles Minter, Edward Sands, and Charlotte Shelby. Mabel Normand was questioned for the murder because she was the last guest to leave his house the previous night. This reason also makes the chances of her being the killer very low unless she was working with someone. In the 1920’s most of Hollywood stars were addicted to drugs. Taylor was known to disapprove of all the drugs being used and banned them from being sold or used on his movie sets. The lack of business because of this could have angered drug dealers enough to where they wanted to commit the crime against Taylor. Normand was an active user of drugs and could have wanted to work together with the dealers in this because she was angered too by the new rule.(Silent Victim) Another reason she could have killed him was to hide their intimacy. Out of the little evidence at the crime scene, police found a few love letters signed “Blessed Baby” that she later confessed to be have written. However, Mabel and William were great friends and Mabel was devastated after his death. (It’s Still a Hot Chase On a Very Cold Trial for a Hollywood Killer) Also, while on her deathbed, Mabel Normand told one of her nurses, “Do you think God is going to let me die and not tell me who killed Bill Taylor?” Next there is the theory that silent film star Mary Miles Minter was the murderer of William Desmond Taylor. (Murder in Hollywood: A tale of vice and vixens) One reason