Monroe mayor thanks resident for student mural cleanup

A Monroe resident received an unexpected response when she stepped in to clean up a mural tagged on Tester Road.

Katelyn Boyce had the day off from work when she saw photos on social media that the new art on the tennis courts had been defaced near the intersection of 167th Avenue Southeast, according to Monroe Police administrative director Debbie Willis. The Sherwin Williams employee took it upon herself to get the spray paint cleaned up quickly.

The tagging included profanities and gang signs like “FX3” (Florencia 13) written in dark paint. 

Monroe High School student Jason Bannon had recently created the mural, which depicts a river and mountain scape at sunset. He had come up with the concept and carried out the work to beautify the wall, which is not far from the school.

Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas thanked Boyce for taking action. He presented her with the Mayor’s Excellence Award beside the freshly cleaned mural.

The tagging had likely occurred overnight, according to Willis. The Monroe Bearcats “M” had been vandalized shortly before that, but Monroe Police do not believe the incidents are related.

No suspects have been identified in either case, according to Willis.