Perfectly Boring, With an in-depth review of Oxford American Magazine's Essay about Photographer William Eggleston and his Murderablia

By Jane Flowers

In this riveting retelling, Jane Flowers, the daughter of Dr. T.C. Boring, bravely challenges the defamatory false portrayals of her father's life and unsolved murder as depicted in William Stephenson's essay 'Perfectly Boring' that was published in Oxford American Magazine.

Armed with intimate knowledge and a quest for truth,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jane Flowers LLC
• Release date: Sep 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088055878

Book preview

Introduction

In the realm of literature and journalism, truth should be the cornerstone of every piece. However, in Oxford American Magazine’s 100th issue, an essay that was published March 13, 2018 titled ‘Perfectly Boring’ tarnishes this principle. Authored by William Stephenson, the essay purportedly narrates the life and unsolved murder of U.S. Navy Veteran Dentist Dr. T.C. Boring, grossly veering away from the truth.

Oxford American Magazine is a nonprofit, quarterly literary magazine that features Southern writing while documenting the complexity and vitality of the American South. The magazine was founded in 1989 in Oxford Mississippi by Marc Smirnoff. It is known to publish a wide range of Fine Art and photography in every issue.

Oxford American Magazine relocated to Little Rock Arkansas in the early 2000s under a newly formed non-for-profit organization, the magazine has also affiliated itself with the University of Arkansas.

The essay Perfectly Boring published in Oxford American Magazine made numerous false defamatory claims about my father’s life and unsolved murder for money. The false claims were made by William Eggleston and other people with William Stephenson writing the false claims into his essay, but not only did the essay fabricate my father’s life and unsolved murder. It also fabricates my father’s first wife’s life and his second wife’s life.

This essay, filled with fabrications and slander, is particularly notable for its exploitation of Dr. T.C. Boring’s life and tragic end. The narrative constructed around Dr. T.C. Boring forms a web of deceit, camouflaging the reality with the layer of sensationalism and as much as I wanted to sue Oxford American Magazine for defamation in regards to fabricating my father’s life and unsolved murder. This was never an option for me because I was and I am still not financially well off enough to retain an attorney to do so.

So I decided it was very important to write and publish my true story about Oxford American Magazine’s defamatory essay so I could bring awareness to how William Eggleston and his family members profit off of my father’s life and unsolved murder with lies and defamation that they sell with their Murderabilia.

As we delve deeper into the essay, we encounter ‘Murderabilia’ within Stephenson’s narrative throughout Perfectly Boring. The Murderabilia is designed to evoke a macabre fascination, conjuring images of a murder weapon and illicit activities. Yet, its usage is nothing more than an attempt to sensationalize a tragic event, a move that does disservice to the memory and legacy of U.S. Navy Veteran Dentist Dr. T.C. Boring.

As you will see, this essay was riddled with lies and deceit from beginning to end. It grossly misrepresented facts in order to make a sensationalistic narrative that would draw more readers. The concept of ‘Murderabilia’, misused in this context, is emblematic of the false narrative. A term designed to evoke morbid fascination and illicit activities.

William Eggleston, a name that has been etched in the annals of photography and within the ‘Perfectly Boring’s essay, is well known to be associated with a darker and chilling side of life such as Murderabilia. This term, relatively unknown to many, refers to the collectibles related to murders or other violent crimes, often sold for profit. This unsettling industry has an infamous patron, none other than William Eggleston.

Eggleston’s association with Dr. T.C. Boring’s life and unsolved murder case is not merely tangential. He was in or about 1983 gifted or sold the hatchet, he claims murdered Dr. T.C. Boring, from a third party who is allegedly involved in Dr. T.C. Boring’s murder. The item in question is not a random collectible, but rather a chilling reminder of the crime. This piece of Murderabilia was not secured behind the glass of a collector’s cabinet, but rather used with fine art photography in Eggleston’s work which is a grim homage to a life violently taken.

Pondering over this, one might ask, what motives does a man like Eggleston have to involve himself in such a morbid trade? Is it a macabre fascination with death, murder and violence or a darker, more personal motive? The unsolved murder of U.S. Navy Veteran Dentist Dr. T.C. Boring hangs over Eggleston’s legacy like a dark cloud.

The question remains, will there ever be accountability for these actions? These are questions I and my family demand the answers to while Eggleston, his family members and friends silently condone the trade of Eggleston’s Murderabilia at his auctions that are held all over the world. The story of Eggleston and Dr. T.C. Boring’s unsolved murder should serve as a stark reminder of the grim intersection of art, violence and commerce.

Eggleston’s saga with his Murderabilia is also a disturbing tale of greed, exploitation, and profound disrespect. For many years, the Egglestons have benefited and profited from the tragic and still unsolved murder of my father. They’ve built a grizzly industry around it, paddling what is referred to as ‘Murderabilia’, merchandise and fine art photography associated with Dr. T.C. Boring’s unsolved murder.

Their actions are not merely distasteful, but also a blatant disregard for the sanctity of personal grief. They’ve shown no concern for our family’s desperate need for closure. Instead they have chosen to capitalize on my family’s pain, while exploiting the tragic death of my father for public gain.

It’s important to note that their pursuit of profit does not stop at the selling of Murderabilia. The Egglestons have also perpetuated a defamatory narrative around my father’s life and his brutal, unsolved murder. Rather than showing empathy or seeking Justice, they’ve chosen to tarnish my father’s memory, all in the name of financial benefit.

The situation is not just about the Eggleston’s lack of decency or their greed. It is about a system that allows such exploitation to exist, where suffering becomes a commodity, and the victims are further victimized. We must confront this issue, not just for my father’s sake, but for all families who’ve lost loved ones to violence, only to see their pain turned into profit.

Eggleston’s actions with his and Stephenson’s defamatory essay have also brought to light a much neglected and morally questionable industry. The story of Dr. T.C. Boring’s unsolved murder is a reminder that Justice can never truly be served when profiting from someone’s unsolved murder is permitted with impunity. In these dark times, we must not forget the sobering truth that Eggleston’s Murderabilia has been around for 40 years and counting and it continues to be a lucrative industry for him and his family, with no accountability or consequences for those involved.

As such, it’s a reminder of our need to recognize the harms inflicted by this industry and take decisive action against it. It’s time we start looking at the bigger picture and hold all who are involved with Murderabilia accountable for their actions.

As we look back on the story of Eggleston’s Murderabilia, we must not forget the lessons it teaches us, to respect life and stand up against injustice; to recognize our part and create a more just world; and never turn a blind eye to any form of exportation, no matter how profitable it may be.

The profiting of my father’s unsolved murder with Eggleston’s Murderabilia are echoes of my father’s unsolved murder reverberate through the hallways of my memory. It’s a haunting dreadful melody that produces a chilling resonance, reminding me of the cold, unfathomable reality that his murderer remains at large. The shadow of this heinous act hangs over my family, darkening every joyous occasion with the gloom of an unresolved injustice. Yet, within this unending torment, I find resolute spirit, a determination to carry forward the torch and fight for Justice.

In society today I’ve come across a disturbing trend. One that tramples on the dignity of Victims and their families and instead glorifies the perpetrators of heinous acts this trend refers to as Murderabilia that involves the trade of items related to notorious crimes or criminals. It’s a grim reminder of the fact my father is more than just a name to those who knew him and