Natasha Waalen was the "It girl -- the prettiest, smartest, kindest," recalled Carrie Hutchens, Waalen's friend of 20 years. "She had it all together. And she was the champion for the little guy."
But the one person Waalen apparently struggled to stand up for was herself -- a too-common trait of victims of domestic violence, experts say.
On Sept. 19, two days after Waalen told co-worker Denise Jellis that she was seeking a protection order against Ryan Boland and that she "feared for her life," Waalen's body and crashed motorcycle were discovered on an Andover street. Waalen, 28, had been beaten to death that night, according to authorities. They say Boland, 33 -- Waalen's live-in boyfriend -- and his brother, Timothy, 31, staged the crash. Natasha had on just a tank top and jeans. No helmet, shoes, or jacket. It was the dead of winter. On at least three occasions, Waalen reported to Anoka police that she'd been physically abused. One report is from 1999, when Ryan Boland was convicted of a misdemeanor. Another call came around Christmas 2007, Yet Waalen never walked away from the relationship.
The fear factor.....common in Domestic Violence relationships.
Waalen's friends knew she was having problems with Boland, her on-again, off-again boyfriend of 11 years and the father of her 4-year-old daughter, Savannah.
In addition, she had been assaulted by Tim Boland, who blamed her for ruining his brother's life, according to a court complaint by Waalen's brother, Travis. "She said repeatedly that she was really scared of Tim," said Tierza Langston, who worked with Waalen at Achieve Services in Blaine, which serves adults who have developmental disabilities. Travis Waalen's girlfriend, Amanda Larson, told authorities about the abusive relationship between Ryan Boland and Waalen. Larson also said that Waalen had told Boland to be out of their Anoka home by the end of September and that Larson then planned to move in with Waalen. Waalen worked 35 hours a week with developmentally disabled adults at Achieve and 20 hours a week more as an acupuncturist at Family Friendly Chiropractic in Andover. Andrea Novack, a massage therapist at the clinic, said that she never saw any marks or bruises on Waalen, and that she "never said anything about violence." "But if she was bummed out and I asked her about it, she'd say, 'Oh, it's just stuff at home,' " Novack said. " 'It's no big deal.' " That seemed in character. Even though Waalen, with her bright blue eyes and ice-melting smile, often was the most attractive person in a crowd, she had a knack of diverting attention from herself, friends said.
"She had this kindness, this special quality that let you know that she really wanted to know you," Kern said. But Ryan Boland could be charming, many of Waalen's school friends said. Before he and his brother were charged with second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree murder, Ryan Boland worked for his father, a former teacher and Coon Rapids High School assistant principal who left education to start his own construction company.
On Sept. 18, the Bolands arrived at a Ramsey bar at 8:15 p.m., leaving between 9:30 and 9:45, according to court documents. A Spectators Bar server, who said she usually gets along with the Bolands, said she tried to avoid them that night. They seemed different, she told authorities. Ryan Boland told authorities that it was Waalen who had been drinking that night and that they argued in their garage. But Langston, Natasha's co-worker, said that Waalen did not like to party, that she was too devoted to Savannah.
This much is certain: When Waalen was found nearly 50 feet from her 2004 KTM Enduro Rendezvous motorcycle, there was a red strap tied around her body and arms, defensive wounds to the back of each hand and three wounds to her forehead inconsistent with a possible crash, authorities said.
Killed for no reason. Abused by her on again/ off again boyfriend and his brother....a child without mother. A family without their daughter and sister. The Bolan brothers took a baseball bat and bashed her head in, threw her body in the back of the truck, and dumped her like trash on a road.....For 2 young woman and a man turning down Tulip street to find.
Natasha went through a horrific cycle of violence for 10 years before she finally lost her life. Please if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out and ask for help.
Help is available- 1-800-799-7233 or Text START 88788.
Rest in paradise Natasha.
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