Letter to the Editor

10/30/08

Dear Editor:
Last Thursday evening, October 16, 2008, the lives of 4 families were changed forever when Thad Garrett was murdered at his home. For reasons that may never be made totally clear, Adam Shay Bolds, accompanied by 2 other men, allegedly decided to mete out his own form of "justice" by shooting Thad several times, at last once in the back, resulting in a mother & father losing their son, siblings losing their brother, and 2 very young children, the youngest only 3 months old, left to grow up without their father.
My family has known Thad’s family for more than 30 years. His mother & I have worked together, laughed together, and shared the joys and pain of motherhood together. Now I am sharing her pain as she prepares to bury her son. She called me early this morning to express her very deep concern over the apparent mind-set of some of the community, law enforcement officials & the media.
As reported in the Jackson County Floridan on Sunday, October 19, 2008, Adam Bolds’ father reported a possible "drive-by" shooting incident at his & possibly his son’s home sometime early this past Friday morning. Ms. Garrett was questioned just hours after her son died about any knowledge she may have had regarding this incident. After Bolds was apprehended, she was visited by a detective from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office who informed her that the vehicle Bolds was in when arrested was a "borrowed" vehicle and that the owner had reported being "followed".
The detective was apparently asking Ms. Garrett to try and quell any further such activity. All of this after Sheriff McDaniel’s quote in Sunday’s Floridan that "vigilante justice" would not be tolerated. I would be remiss if, in referring to this article, I did not point out that the statement was made that Bolds’ wife & children were not at home at the time of this "drive-by" incident. However, in the article in Friday’s Jackson County Floridan describing the shooting, no mention was made that Thad’s 2 young children & their mother were inside the house while the shooting was taking place on the carport.
At Ms. Garrett’s request, and because of my love & concern for her and her family, all of the parties involved should be made aware that the Garrett family is not interested in any type retaliatory action--they are too busy trying to learn to live without their son, brother & father. All they ask is fair & honest justice as provided by our Constitution.
Sincerely,
Kathy Williams Grand Ridge, FL.