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Son gets final farewell as alleged killer arraigned

Beau at 12Beau at 12If things go according to plan, sometime today, Andrew Youngs and his brother Jeff will walk onto a Little League field at Franklin Park in Purcellville, VA. They'll head for center field, where Youngs will open a container and scatter the ashes of his son Beau across the field, in memory of the happiest day of Beau's life.

Beau James Youngs, 22, homeless on the streets of Boston, died early on May 1 after being stabbed in front of the Walgreens on Boylston Street in the Back Bay. His alleged killer, Kevin James, also homeless, is scheduled for arraignment this morning in Boston Municipal Court.

His death was the final chapter of a short and mostly sad story that began even before he was born on June 21, 1987 - his alcoholic mother drank heavily throughout her pregnancy with him.

On Saturday, Andrew Youngs sat in his Boston-area apartment and shared his story - partly through his memories and partly through boxes full of photos and documents - the psychological assessments, report cards, even diary entries.

Youngs and his first wife adopted Beau and his younger sister Raina when Beau was six. Both were diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. Things did not improve. Living with their mother and her boyfriend in a motel in Pocatello, Idaho, they were beaten and sexually abused, then put into foster homes and beaten and abused even more. At age 5, Beau was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and reactive attachment disorder, a rare condition, linked to an absence of parental bonding as an infant, that can lead to a lifetime of severe psychological problems.

"It is just a nightmare diagnosis," Youngs said. "It's probably one of the worst diagnoses you can get for a child."

The Youngs knew what they were getting into - fact sheets from the adoption service detailed the psychological and neurological issues both children had. But Youngs says he was unprepared for more than a decade of hell that ruined two marriages and cost him his job, his house and any chance at a relationship with his adopted children.

Both kids proved unable to accept or show much affection; Beau, who spent his early years with abusive adult men, never really trusted Youngs and was frequently aggressive toward him. He became "a compulsive liar" and, later, a frequent runaway. Youngs recalled how he got him fired from a job:

The family had moved to Arizona and Youngs was selling supercomputers to intelligence agencies when his first wife fled back to the East Coast. Youngs moved back to the East Coast soon after. Beau went to see her, then refused to go back to Youngs's house. When Youngs insisted he return, Beau called the local police department and said Youngs had molested him. Although cleared, Youngs said the investigation cost him his security clearance - and his job selling to the government.

Youngs did recall good times with Beau - who, despite his problems, managed a steady B average in school. Youngs eventually moved back to the East Coast as well, to a large house on a 12-acre parcel across a creek from Robert Duvall - and about 150 miles from where Beau and his mother lived. Beau would visit him there frequently, and they'd go crawfishing and tubing down the Potomac.

"It was great, so much fun," he said. "It was a great life. It was a Huck Finn kind of life. Everything was OK and I think for awhile he'd forget he didn't like me."

"But I could see him changing," he said. "He ran with a different element, more southern Maryland redneck than hanging with the affluent types {he'd grown up with]." Eventually, he stopped visiting, dropped out of marching band and started running away a lot. Youngs lost touch with him.

Youngs moved to Massachusetts to start anew - he bought a house and garden center in Lakeville. But with the economy souring, he lost both in bankruptcy and his second wife due to the stress of dealing with Raina. He moved into the first of two apartments in greater Boston.

What he didn't know was that Beau, too, had drifted north, and was living on the streets of Boston - he preferred panhandling along Boylston Street, in particular in the area across from the Pru. He had occasional run-ins with the law - in 2006, he was arrested in Randolph for stealing a car - and he couldn't keep from lying, telling people he'd served with the military in Iraq and expressing his anger at a friend for stealing $80,000 from him, when neither was true. But he also found a steady girlfriend, a homeless woman named Katie.

About two years ago, Youngs said, Beau - at Katie's urging - got his number and called him. The three of them had dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen in the Transportation Building in Park Square. Beau even dug up a suit somewhere to wear. Youngs brought with him a pile of savings bonds he'd bought in Beau's name long ago.

It was, Youngs said, a pleasant dinner. It was also the last time the two saw each other, although they did talk on the phone briefly, about a week later. Beau had no ID and without one, he couldn't cash the savings bonds. Youngs agreed to send him some money to buy one.

Late on April 30, police found Beau in front of the Walgreens on Boylston Street, with a serious stab wound. EMTs rushed him to Boston Medical Center, where he died 90 minutes later. Youngs got the call two days later - from his parents, who'd been contacted by his first wife after police called her. "I had to identify the body," he said.

Youngs had Beau's body cremated. He left with the remains yesterday for Virginia, for that Little League field. He explains:

When Beau was 14, he played center field on a Little League team that made it to the county finals undefeated. In the ninth inning of the championship game, with his team down by one, with two on and two out, Beau came to the plate. He got the perfect pitch. "He slammed it; he batted in the other two guys," Youngs recalled. "It was the happiest day of his life."

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Comments

What a terribly sad story. I can't imagine what it was like being Beau or his parents (biological or adopted), and find myself tritely wondering if death, or whatever comes after, has brought some kind of peace to these souls. I'm also reminded that every person I see on the street has a history, events and decisions not always under their control, which brought them to the moment we pass each other. I might have passed Beau a few times, even. Thank you, Adam, for writing this.

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Nice work, Adam.

This is the kind of story the Globe should be doing for local human interest, not pieces on cheese making yuppies. So tragic, and yet, in many ways, unavoidable given the start he had in life.

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not pieces on cheese making yuppies.

Hey Henry, are you sure yuppies is the word we're looking for? Not a lot of urban professionals in their 20's and 30's are making cheese in quaint vermont homes, you know.

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He was referring to this infamous Globe piece and a number of followups by the paper's "wealth" reporter on the travails and foibles of the upwardly mobile, including, yes, their alleged predilection to abandon office jobs in Boston to become cheese makers in Vermont (which I recall was based on a sample size of roughly three).

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Wonderful, painful story, well reported and written. Talented folks are still committing journalism in Boston. Let's remember this quality community journalism when Pulitzer time rolls around again. (No, not joking.)

Eerie, though - read this story in the early morning, as I sat parked on Boylston, waiting to pick up daughter from an overnight shift at the very Walgreens. At that hour, a quiet, cold, lonely place - nowhere a kid should live. Or die.

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Adam, this is phenomenal. Thank you for writing this.

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My family and I live in Southern Maryland and through mutual friends heard the sad news of Beau's passing. We would like to set the record straight about the "crowd he ran with here." Our children attended high school with Beau and were in band together. They did the typical "hanging out" at our house. His Mom and step father here were positively involved in his life, academically and socially, and we knew him as a healthy, happy, and very personable young man. He was well liked by his peers, the valedictorian of his high school was his section leader. Maybe he's not "Robert Duvall",however today he is studying to be a doctor. My children are college educated and are very saddened by Beau's passing. Even the kids he befriended here who were not as fortunate to attend college etc... were and are descent people who would not say disparaging things about others. Beau is in our prayers, as are his Mom and her husband.

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My apologies for that. Youngs mentioned Beau was in the marching band and seemed to enjoy it - at least, until he quit.

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Thanks for posting it and sharing it with us, and therefore, articulating the point that far, far too many kids like that end up falling through the cracks, leading to a tragic end. It should be a lesson for our elected officials, but unfortunately, it won't be.

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Kevin James, who says his real name is Kevin Wayne Wilson, was ordered held without bail today at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court.

Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Jennifer Hickman said James fatally stabbed Beau Young in the heart during a fight late on April 30. Youngs was taken to Boston Medical Center following the fight, but died 90 minutes later.

Hickman said James has outstanding warrants from Arizona, Texas, Maryland, Rhode Island and Massachusetts - where he was in default on a 2002 warrant charging him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Hickman did not say what started the fight between Youngs and James, both homeless, in front of the Boylston Street Walgreens, but said they were "wrestling" when James plunged a knife into Youngs's heart. She said two witnesses identified James as the man who stabbed Youngs, then ran away.

James was picked up the next day on Newbury Street, she said, adding that in the meantime, he had shaved his beard and long hair. He appeared in BMC Courtroom 17 today cleanshaven and close-cropped, wearing a white jail jumpsuit and gray booties - as well as handcuffs and manacles around his legs.

James did not contest the bail ruling, but did ask if he could get his prescription glasses back. Judge Tracy-Lee Lyons agreed and directed court officers to see if they could find the pair.

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Adam - thank you for taking the time to meet with Andrew and to put a face on this story. Andrew is a very dear friend of mine and it meant so much to him to be able to share the much more complex story of Beau's life. There are so many stories behind those who are homeless - each one deserving of recognition and respect, which is what you have accomplished so graciously. May your efforts continue and be recognized for their significance.

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This story touched my heart considerably. It was well written Adam and you should be proud of it. Nevertheless, doesn't anyone else see how arrogant and self-involved this young man's father appears in this article? Would hanging out with "affluent" types really have improved his chances of overcoming his background? And mentioning Robert Duvall as a neighbor...is that a means to raise our opinion of him as a caring, loving father? It seems to me this man was much more intent on clearing himself of any reflection his son's death would have had on his reputation than sharing a heartfelt story. Did you happen to check into the story this man shared with you, Adam? There are just too many transparencies, it seems to me.

So, today my prayers are for you, RWinkley, for being friends with an individual who, to me, seems to want to sensationalize his son's death and life as a means for assuaging his own guilt.

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And I hesitated to put the Duvall mention in (maybe I should have thought thrice); he wasn't bringing that up to name drop but to show what kind of life the family had. The thing with the affluent-vs-"redneck" kids? He was trying to show how Beau began to change, in his teens.

I didn't get the sense he was trying to sensationalize anything, but to fill in the huge holes left by the brief little item I originally posted on his son's death.

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Glad you mentioned the affluent vs. redneck comment again...that is exactly what Youngs was apparently trying to do...show how his son began to change, because of his affiliations. And, I think that is so wrong as there are drugs, alcohol and violence in all classes. I am beginning to wonder if there are any "southern Maryland rednecks" currently searching for Youngs's home address...

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I visited this page when it first appeared, then again the same day, and once again this morning. I was surprised by the number of comments posted about a, seemingly, small article about the murder of a homeless person. The article unsettled me, but all the comments were positive, so I thought it was maybe just me. I have to applaud you, BostonNative for having the bravery to bring up exactly what was bothering me, too. This man seems to be trying to explain why he couldn't help his son instead of grieving his loss. I wish I had been brave enough to first post my thoughts, but now feel compelled to share that I agree with you wholeheartedly. Adam, most reporters will check everything before writing an article, but you only checked a "couple things." Questionably written.

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But all of us are flawed. That's no reason to omit the father's comment. I didn't read into it the same meaning as you and a few others did, but I'm perfectly willing to accept that my interpretation was incorrect. What I saw in the father's comment was that his son was gravitating to a group of people and social setting with which he himself was not familiar. In other words, his son grew distant, it became harder to relate to him. I see that as an important element of the story, even though we don't know for sure whether the father couldn't relate or chose not to.

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Adam, this is beautifully written. You really have a way of connecting with people and getting them to share their stories with you. This is why UH is better than the mainstream media.

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Thanks for this story.

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Nothing more to say than to echo others who find the story well written, touching and sad. Thank you Adam.

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This story turns just another invisible news cipher into a full-fledged human. Thank you, Adam.

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This is a comment from Ktie Chandler 'girlfriend' This artical mabey sweet but also untrue it makes the Father look like he is a good person Beau, although problemsome was never a bad person. He was always loving and trying to fit in. I spent four years of my life with him homeless and if I could do and deal with him 24/7 and the way he resented his father I would have to say Andrew is making Beau look bad. He had troubles on the street but also his crime theft of a moter viecal was dropped to use with out attority, but you wouldn't know that. Because his father wasn't there to watch him on the stand. I was there however I did catch Beau in lies but he only lied to cover up his shame, He was abused and the way he talked about his father made me wonder, so I pushed to meet him, Andrew is a selfish man with bairly a heart. I was surprised that he even ID his son. This is from an experiance, I also asked Andrew youngs to help Beau get his birth cirtificut, he replied that Beau ruened his life and so dont all children for parents. Beau mother was the good parent in the life situation, Beau would never bad talk his mother as mush as he claimed to hate Andrew for unknown things thatthe father done for him. I however witnessed the crime and am hurt that anyone could do such a thing to someone so young. I loved Beau dearly and there wont be a tile in my life where I wont think about him. Doing all the things we did and all the time we spent together will be cheirished forever. I love you Beau J Youngs.

Forver and ever,
Kaitlyn Chandler

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You seem to have been closer to him than anybody ever was. I hope that you can be strong and find your way.

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Katie, may his memory be a blessing.

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Katie,

We all feel terrible about what happened to Beau and want to say we're sorry. We could see that Beau really loved you and took care of you. Both you and Beau are in our thoughts and prayers.

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I always liked Beau.I knew when he lied to me , but most of the time we were cool.Do me a favor and stay off the streets, because I'm not there to look out for you.I often wonder how you are doing, I hope you are doing the right thing, I hear Marlea is. Good luck, and I hope when our paths cross again all is right in your world.

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I live next door to Beau’s mother and step father. My family and I are very good family friends of theirs. It’s been a very hard time for all of us. We all miss him. I was disturbed by the article, and especially about Andrew Young’s skewed account of Beau’s life. I wanted to write a response about the Beau that I knew, and also, to hopefully undue some of the damage caused by biased reporting and the pathetic attempts of an arrogant and angry adoptive father who obviously lacks the social grace to grieve for his son instead of pointing fingers and lying.

Beau and I went to high school together, as well as being next door neighbors and friends. We were also in the marching band together. He was a typical teenage boy. He had a lot of friends, he was an excellent musician, and he was smart. He was a good kid, and a good friend. He also had a great smile and laugh. When I knew him, he was happy and healthy.

My point is that Beau’s life in southern Maryland is not what led to this tragedy. His family and friends here loved him, and we all wish he had made different choices, and his life had turned out different. There are a lot of claims in this article that are untrue, but it is not my place to correct them. All I want is to remember him fondly. For those who knew him well, you know exactly what I mean. For those who didn’t know him, I hope I have offered a more accurate account of who he was. Wishing Beau, Katie, and Beau’s family and friends, some peace.

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I love many of the comments of the last few days, and Beau would have too. (He and I enjoyed ZZ Top together a few times - a very good guy with a lot of problems, I love him anyway)
Some of the comments no doubt hurt the feelings of others. Let us all give it a rest, and may Beau and all his friends and supporters be blessed with a chance to see each other again someday. If you aren't a friend, why are you even involved? Go away.

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To the family of Beau Youngs..I want to personally apologize for what Kevin did to your loved one. I was married to Kevin and left him a few months prior to Beau's death. Kevin was a real piece of work. He was often unpredictable in his behavior and I knew it was only a matter of time before he killed someone. I just wish it was me instead of Beau. Ever since I found out what happened, I have been in close touch with the detectives handling the case, hoping some of my info on Kevin will help get the conviction he deserves. My heart goes out to you and I am so very sorry for your loss. If there is anything I can do please let me know.

Regards,

AW

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Adam / Universal Hub,
This Sunday it will be a year since Beau James Youngs was stabbed and killed in front of Wallgreens in Back bay. Has there been and progress on the case of his alleged killer? Some follow up reporting would be appreciated by many, I'm sure. Thanks for anything you can share, either on the site, or by email.
R, Friend of Beau's

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According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, James's trial is scheduled for July 6. He is still being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

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I just wanted to follow up on this. My ex husband Kevin Wayne Wilson was convicted of this murder, actually he finally plead guilty and was sentenced to 9 years. Pathetic. He should have receieved life in prison but since there was no evidence that he intended to kill Beau as in planned it, executed it etc, they had to go with the lesser charge. I am so very sorry this happened and had I known what I know now, I would have contacted someone to get him picked up before he could hurt anyone. I was just trying to stay as far away from him as I could for my own safety.

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This is so heart breaking. I was just doing a google search to find them and this is what I find. I used to babysit Beau and Raina when they lived in Northern VA. I was looking for there parents. I wanted to contact them and tell thank you for how nice they were to me growing up. I was really close with the family at one point. I even went to visit them when they first moved to AZ. I am at a loss for words. This is so sad to stumble upon this.

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Without knowing Beau, I'm sorry that he died at such a young age. Without knowing all the facts, the horrendous start that Beau had in life could well have been the predilector for his eventual violent death.

This story was clearly well researched, as well as being extremely well-written, Adam. Thanks for this.

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