Profile: Bob Taylor

Friends and relatives are reluctant to speak about Kathleen Heisey’s relationship with a married man. They recall Heisey could be a very private person and her job required a circumspect public persona.

But questions about Robert Taylor are obvious.

There was “an ultimatum.” After Heisey’s death, her daughter found a letter from Taylor that referenced an “an ultimatum” Heisey had given Taylor. In the letter, Lisa Heisey recalls, Taylor pleaded with Heisey not to end the relationship.

While not the last person to see her alive, Taylor was one of the last. Heisey was killed late Monday night or Tuesday morning, June 29 or 30, 1998. Although she was alive and well and visiting a friend Monday evening, her daughter said Heisey had been with Taylor that Sunday night.

And Taylor had a lot to lose from a public disclosure of the affair. He was married, after all, and principal of Sierra Vista High School in Tulare, also a job that required a circumspect public persona.

Taylor – everyone calls him Bob – is a career educator who, at least two of his three ex-wives say, now is debilitated with some form of dementia and is unable to be interviewed for this story. He is now 71. He was 53 when Heisey was killed.

Heisey’s daughter and friends have questions about Taylor, but discount him as a suspect in the case. Lisa spoke with her mother during Taylor’s weekend visit and didn’t sense any tension between them.

The last person – besides the killer – to see Heisey alive was her lifelong friend, Lynn Runyan. Heisey had dinner at Runyan’s house just hours before the killing, and says Heisey didn’t mention any conflict with Taylor.

The relationship had been on-going for four years.

Heisey kept the relationship very private and most of her friends and family never spoke with or met Taylor.

Lisa Heisey said she first of heard of Taylor after her mother attended the California Consortium for Independent Study conference in 1994.

The big mystery to family and friends is why Bakersfield Police didn’t pay more attention to Taylor – and his wife.

Taylor’s wife at the time, now his second ex-wife, said she didn’t know Taylor was tied to the killing until years later when he confessed his infidelity. She thinks it’s odd that detectives never questioned her and that her husband was able to keep her from knowing about it.

But she – as well as his third ex-wife – says Taylor wasn’t the kind of person who is capable of murder. They each said that long after her killing, Taylor still was distraught about Heisey’s death.

But she – as well as his third ex-wife – says Taylor wasn’t the kind of person who is capable of murder. They each said that long after her killing, Taylor still was distraught about Heisey’s death.