Whatever dentist David Boyd did in his private and professional life, he did not deserve to be killed.

The discovery of Boyd's body at his home on June 26 set off a chain of accusations about drugs for sex, clandestine appointments and unprofessional behavior. Clearly, something was not right, and those suffering most for that now are members of his family. Thankfully, people close to the Boyds have rallied around. Many say David Boyd was an involved father who cared very much for his children. The family will need to focus on those memories as the prosecution of the suspects charged in his murder brings out more and more disturbing information.

Police Chief Mark Wilhelm shared few details at the outset of the investigation, saying he didn't want to make life more difficult for the family. But this is too serious and sordid a crime to keep a lid on indefinitely. There is no way to spare the family from what David Boyd did or what was done to him.

The illicit use of drugs plays a large part in this story. One of the people charged in the murder is said to be addicted to hydrocodone, a strong painkiller, and to have gotten the drug through Boyd. She told investigators that others did the same. The SBI had been investigating Boyd for that reason, going on a tip from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. Unfortunately, the investigation had not gone far enough or fast enough for agents to foresee what was about to happen to Boyd. They might have prevented his death.

Hindsight is 20/20, but others can gain insight from this crime going forward. Professionals who bend the rules of their powerful positions can see in this case what terrible pain can result when, degree by degree, those abuses and addictions go too far. The same goes for people who look the other way when they fear something is amiss. And people who have a legitimate need for powerful painkillers will understand now, if they didn't before, why physicians, emergency rooms and pharmacies must be guarded about how readily they dispense them. Drug abuse is a serious, pervasive problem that puts thousands on a path of self-destruction — and horrendous crime.

The entire community feels sullied by this crime, grieving for the family even as we ponder the dynamics behind it — rich and poor, powerful and weak, image vs. reality. The only certainty is that anything can happen. Despite laws, oaths, vows and codes of ethics, human behavior goes awry, sometimes in a horrific way. None of us is perfect.

The three people charged in this crime will be in the Rowan County Detention Center for a long time, waiting in line behind more than a dozen other murder suspects before they have their day in court. It's now up to investigators and District Attorney Bill Kenerly to bring them to justice. It won't be a pretty story. Events that lead to murder trials never are.

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