Taylor Mefford, a staff member at Texas A&M University-Commerce, has been recognized with an Emmy Award by the Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Mefford, who serves as the manager of videography in the Office of Marketing and Communications at A&M-Commerce, was honored for his work as part of the production team behind "Unresolved," a true-crime mini-documentary shedding light on the unsolved murder of Adrienne Salinas in 2013. The documentary, which aired on KPHO-TV in Phoenix, Arizona, features an original musical score composed by Mefford.
The announcement was made during the 46th Annual Rocky Mountain Emmys award ceremony in late 2023.
Having graduated from A&M-Commerce in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television, Mefford primarily operates behind the camera but developed a passion for music composition during his teenage years.
Reflecting on his involvement in the project, Mefford expressed initial hesitation due to his mixed feelings about the true-crime genre. However, he was drawn to the series' commitment to presenting factual information about the case.
Mefford's musical talents caught the attention of the production team after he submitted a nine-track demo for consideration. Despite the series' original air date being delayed until June 2022 due to legal developments, Mefford's contributions remained integral to the final product.
In total, he composed over three hours of original music for the six-episode series, pushing himself beyond his comfort zone.
While Mefford views composition as primarily a hobby, his success with "Unresolved" highlights his proficiency in the field. The series is currently available for streaming for free.
