3
In May 2010, Taylor and Bizoe took a trip to Keystone, Colorado, and "committed
[themselves] before God . . . on top of a mountain." When Taylor described his
commitment to Bizoe, he stated: "We basically committed ourselves to each other at that
time. We were—she had my back. I had her back. Uh, it was just you and me, baby." At
trial, Taylor presented pictures of him with Bizoe, who was wearing a ring he had given
to her, together on the mountain as evidence of their commitment to each other. Taylor
considered their commitment to each other as an agreement to be married, though they
were not committed to each other before a pastor or someone authorized to marry the
couple. Bizoe wore the ring for the rest of her life.
Taylor explained he and Bizoe attended family events, social outings, and church
home group as a couple and the people they knew thought Taylor and Bizoe were
married. Taylor claimed they introduced themselves as husband and wife, though
"[a]nybody that knew us and knew the specific situation, knew that we were not legally
married per se."
Taylor explained he and Bizoe were each other's primary emergency medical
contact. Taylor asserted he did not pay Bizoe directly for bills but would give her cash
when she asked and made household improvements and repairs over 16 years costing
over $61,000. Taylor had a life insurance policy that originally named his former wife as
the primary beneficiary, but he later changed the primary beneficiary to Bizoe. While
Taylor was married to his former wife, his policy identified her and noted her relationship
status to Taylor as "wife." Taylor had another life insurance policy in which Bizoe was
the primary beneficiary but identified his relationship status with Bizoe as "friend"
because "we didn't have a marriage certificate." Bizoe also had a life insurance policy
naming Taylor as the primary beneficiary. Both parties filed their federal income taxes as
single. Taylor explained this was because Turbo Tax recommended such status. Bizoe
also signed a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act disclosure authorizing
the release of medical information to Taylor and her two children but did not list her