Taylor Wyss memorial on downtown Bend street torn down over weekend; friends, family speak out

'It was like pouring salt in a wound.'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A memorial on a downtown Bend street for Taylor Wyss, a Redmond man who was shot and killed there last year, was torn down this weekend. 

Taylor was shot and killed in August of last year on the sidewalk in front of Duda's Billiards and Sidelines Sports Bar and Grill. Caleb Cegers of Bend faces a murder charge in the killing and is scheduled to go on trial in early January of next year.

Family and friends visit Wyss's memorial to connect with him. Outside those businesses, the tree is normally adorned with flowers and lights.

Before the memorial was taken down, it was bright and colorful, to honor his memory. There were also photos of Wyss, at a place for people to visit and remember him. 

After the photos and flowers were taken down, the tree was left bare - all the adornments on the ground were gone and the lights have been cut and ripped off.

"There were a lot of tears yesterday from a lot of people," Taylor's friend, Jessica Lessar, said Sunday. "It was violating. It was like pouring salt in a wound."

"Taylor was ripped away from us, and we go there to honor him and to connect with him, and to see it ripped down like that just -- it really hurts," she said. "We're still in the process of seeking justice for him, and for something like that to happen, it's just a really big blow."

 Wyss's sister, Kendal, said she has reached out to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. She also has reached out to Northwest Home Interiors, asking for camera footage, and was waiting to hear back. 

As of Sunday, most everything that was removed from the memorial has been replaced, but family and friends are still looking for answers. 

We reached out to Bend Police through non-emergency dispatch, who said they weren't aware of any vandalism complaints made, involving the site.