Taylor Behl Family Member 99.9% Sure Body Is Taylor Behl

Apparently a Behl family member told a newscaster they were 99.9% sure the body found today is that of Taylor Behl. They are reporting a photo taken from the computer of Ben Fawley was shown to another individual who identified the location - an abandoned farmhouse.

Investigators visited early today and smelled the scent of decay in the area prior to discovering a shallow grave. See video here.  More coverage here.

One source close to the investigation said clothing found at the scene is similar to clothing that may have been worn by Behl before she disappeared.

Ben Falwey's lawyer Chris Collins had no comment.

My best thoughts go out to the family tonight, particularly Taylor's Mother, Janet Pelasara and Father, Matt Behl. The family said there will be no statement pending a final identification of the body.

Update: There is no indication that Fawley will even be charged for a crime should this turn out to be Taylor Behl. But I do have information that Fawley was by no means a stranger to the abandoned farm house. Also, his pictures of it had titles which suggested a theme of "home."

I can't say it is even a hunch at this point, but I am finding myself wondering if this will prove to be a multi-gravesite investigation. Also, it is erie and inexplicable that if Fawley is implicated in this, he would keep those photos up. After all, he took the photos of Taylor down almost immediately. Something feels like it isn't adding up, somehow.

Late Update:

Police have said Fawley did not provide enough specifics in his police report to properly investigate the alleged attack. But investigators have found inconsistencies between his report to them and entries describing the attack that he allegedly posted on one of his Web sites.

The entries make reference to a former girlfriend, whom Fawley believes to be behind the attack. Investigative sources said the ex-girlfriend is from Diggs in Mathews County. Her family has property near the location where the human remains were discovered yesterday.

The ex-girlfriend could not be reached for comment. Police would not confirm if she was the woman who had identified the photo that led investigators to Mathews County.

Comments

[less0305]

Ben's roommate claims it's her blood.. Wonder how it got all the way to the box springs?

Posted by: Carrie-- | Oct 6, 2005 12:47:24 PM

Maybe she's one of those cutters he claimed he didn't want to get messed up with again. I just wonder about whether there was a mattress in the place or not when the police took the piece from the box springs. No mattress definately indicates something was amiss in that bedroom.

[cosmicmojo]

oh yeah, I think Fawley's good at thinking up excuses, but deep down, not too bright. I think he may have some sort of delusion of grandeur (sp?) and not truely realized that the police would make connections.

He thinks "oh I'll just tell them blah blah" and not realize they have lab tests, other witnesses, computer techs, etc. that can work around that. He thinks he can fool them with excuses. Sorta like how a very young kid lies and doesnt realize how bad a liar they are (cookie dough on the face). He thinks he's invincable and doesn't realize how transparent his excuses will be.

[absynth_minded]

Allison:

I am a former Navy Corpsman, so basically I am a jack of all medical trades, but master of none...lol

(our training does include psychology, but I've also taken courses in psyche and sociology on my own and was a serious back injury away from joining the F.B.I.)

As mouch as I dislike theorizing, I agree that Carrie offers the most likely scenario, though I am not sold on others not being involved in at the very least, a cover up.

* I can't get out of my head how much he hates when people aren't "real" with him... and how he eluded to the fact that "T" falls in this category.

I do not think Ben is particularly sharp, either, which is why I can easily see him being the follower if another person is implicated.
That being said, the man is more dangerous on the streets than he is behind bars.

[livesinmathews]

The property is owned by Mr. Bing....There is a property owned by a Crabill family on the same road...in close proximity.

[Carrie]

hildybrant
2005-09-30 14:38 pm UTC (link)
Heh... Well, Karen was watching Fox News, and Greta Van Susteren mentioned that the police found blood on his bedsheets, tampon wrappers, and a hatchet in his apartment.

Fucking duh, dudes. Two of those fit together (no pun intended), and one's just a non-sequitur tool owned by a handyman. Shit.

But, anyhow, yes. My bloodstain was on national news.
(Reply to this) (Parent)

[sad but true]

this is interesting-

http://www.justicemag.com/daily/item/1383.html

[absynth_minded]

*"He kept talking about his sexuality," Delano says, "and about how he has to do crazy things." Fawley also told Delano that he has not been taking the medication prescribed to treat his bipolar disorder, as it leaves him unable to have sex.

Nothing good can EVER come of this. It's like a sexual deviant getting a hold of Viagra.

[Brian]

Per my previous post concerning BFs sexuality and child porn, I would assume that BF is not so much bi-sexual as he is a pedofile. I would not be surprised if BF was messing around with young male sk8ers and if the child porn on his computer does involve young boys.

This guy is the worst kind of evil- one that robs kids of their innocence.

[JanVTica]

I am from, and live in, Vienna, VA and attended Madison High School (but about 3-4 years before Taylor). When I left for school, granted VT is rather rural compared to VCU, I too felt that I was confident and ready to tackle the world...Vienna has a strange way of doing that to people...it is almost like Pleasantville. I, myself, got into some things that I shouldn't have, but nothing too serious. I eventually figured it out and realized that I was out of my safe haven of Vienna and should really be careful.

I have been following the Taylor Behl case, and it's rough knowing that someone from your hometown has gone missing in a place that is much bigger and scarier than Vienna. Vienna truly provides a foundation for young kids to believe that they are invincible b/c we are so protected and safe here.

Anyway, of course, like everyone else, I hope the remains are not those of Taylor's, but we all know the statistics to these sort of cases. My thoughts and prayers (along with all of Vienna's) are with the Behl family at this time.

I want to thank you all for keeping everyone up to date and providing information as it is received.

[steve5]

God bless Taylor s family.....

[blues]

anyone remember who "black17" is again?

[Gypzywingz]

Has anyone seen these pictures, the picture from the website looks exactly like the one from the crime scene.

http://home.comcast.net/~perrytg/bf.bs/

[bull]

"Black17" I believe was Fawley's neighbor who had the porn.

To see Monroe, Pelasara and Attorney Peterson press conferences go to http://www.nbc12.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT%2FMGArticle%2FWBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785470966

[absynth_minded]

JanVTica:

Thank you for your personal insight. It does add a new perspective, hearing those words come from someone who may have experienced some of the very same feelings Taylor did.

From the very start of this most of us have felt that Taylor thought she was a big girl and more than ready for whatever curveballs life threw at her. She didn't realize that people like Ben Fawley exist, or if she did know, it wasn't something that could happen to her.

[blues]

thanks bull

[absynth_minded]

BREAKING NEWS:

Positive I.D.

shit....

[momma]

Positive ID-It's Taylor's body.Press conference on right now.

[Z]

Remains have been indentified as Taylors.

[U.S.Marine]

I hurt for Taylor in fear of what appearss to have happened to her. But she seems to have been facing life's problems inappropriately. Having been characterized as coming from a culture in which she did not fit, and considering the bad choices she seems to have been making, maybe that is why high school peers stayed away from her. Rather than drinking, drugs, and promiscuity, choosing good character moderated by caution, discretion, prudence, and virtue are those things our heavenly Father wants for us.

[cosmicmojo]

a_m,
I think somehow this phase is stronger in girls than in boys; and y'all don't know about it? Most women I've talked to remember feeling the same way we imagine Taylor did and are so glad we dodged the bullets. I just assumed you guys knew about it too. Some call it a slutty phase (forgive me, I don't mean it pejoratively), the bad boy phase, etc.

Sometime in a girl's life, she has this blind stupid need to be attractive to boys, men, particularly bad boys; to be trashy, slutty, etc. It is totally blind and destroys all usual brain function.

Luckily, most of us grow out of it early, dodge the bullets, or let it run it's course by wearing slutty clothes rather than direct association with creeps.

That's why I identified with this case so strongly. I have been there, sister, I have been there.

I'm sorry if this hurt anyone; I used blunt language to try to express the tone of the phenomenon.

[absynth_minded]

- No cause of death yet
- ID'ed through dental records
- scene still being processed, will take a few days or so.
- No determination yet as to how long she was buried.
- They are saying that they wouldn't really call it a grave, where she was found, more of a ravine. (wouldn't comment further)
- Using GPS technology
- Investigation is very narrowed down, won't comment much more, but interesting look came to some faces when questions were asked about Jesse Schultz.

It's Taylor's mom's Birthday today.. :(

[cosmicmojo]

Marine,
that is totally insensitive, uncalled for, and arrogant at this point, when the body has just been identified.

EVEYONE IS TESTED. She was a 17 year-old child, for goodness sake. Talk about blame the victim.

[blues]

U.S.MArine:
really? You can't actually blame her? Everyone makes bad choices sometime in their lives.

[absynth_minded]

I typed this yesterday, but it pertains to questions and comments that are going to pop up, some of which already have.

Please let's NOT forget that Taylor was a CHILD.

Many young people do stupid things. Maybe it's peer-preasure and longing to find a place to fit in or maybe it's looking for adventure, an escape from the monotony of everyday life? With kids, it's more often than not, all of the above, as well as an attempt to prove to those around them, but more importantly themselves, that they are no longer a child and can stand on their own two feet.

There is something beautiful and innocent about childish naivety. Especially when as adults, we have the ability to look back on it and marvel at what foolish decisions we made and reflect on how those decisions shaped and molded who we are today.

There is no greater tragedy than a child being deprived of that same reflection. Children are supposed to get "do-overs."

[anon]

R.I.P Taylor =( =(

Very sad indeed

[cosmicmojo]

Most kids are 18 or 19 when they start college--17 is very young to face the added pressure and sudden freedom. A lot of maturing happens in those last years of the teens. Body grows a lot in the fist 15 years, and brain catches up in the late teens and early 20s. The brain is not fully mature until the early 20s. She literally did not have the brian capacity to handle the mature situation she was in. To be holier-than-thou to a child shows a sad problem with your own sense of self-esteem Marine. Pick on someone your own size.

[cosmicmojo]

I AM SO MAD I'M REPEATING MYSELF!!!

To be holier-than-thou to a murdered child shows a sad problem with your own sense of self-esteem Marine. Pick on someone your own size!

[cosmicmojo]

You are preying on the defenseless.

[JD]

while I certanly dont agree with Marine (and the timing of his comment is less than stellar), I do think young people need to be held more accountable for their actions. For example, when a child messes up in school these days, the parents are apt to blame the teachers instead of the child. I think this country in general has real issues with accountability. TB was a thrill seeker who got burned. Many children her age would take one look at this guy and know to stay away. Anyway, this is not the time for this . . . .

[LilLady]

This is not the time or place for arguing. Everyone agrees teens will be teens... the bad comes with the good. Taylor was unforunate in that she had people pray on that teenage phase. We can all look back at dumb stuff we did as teens.... No matter what she may have gotten herself into, I am sure she did not want to come to an untimely end like this. So lets stop fighting and start praying for her poor family and her friends.... and even for the two poor children who will have to live life knowning their dad may have had something to do with this tragedy.

[CharlieW]

Posted by: U.S.Marine | Oct 6, 2005 2:10:56 PM

He who is without sin cast the first stone.

[Yayo]

Taylor wasn't that young to be starting college. She would have turned 18 next week. She just had a late birthday, but she was born in 1987 just like when all the other 18 year old college freshmen were born.

[cosmicmojo]

Sure, most would know to stay away from this creep, but they might not know not to say their parents aren't home when someone calls on the phone, or another might not know you shouldn't eat mushrooms in the woods. The point is children are trusting and make mistakes. That has nothing to do with teaching children accountability for their actions.

I resent that a family's pain becomes a soap box for Marine's holier-than-thou rant. And yes, NOW is the time to tell him: "your talk is inappropriate at this time and at this place." I'm not arguing I'm telling him his actions are inappropriate here.

[absynth_minded]

Alot can be said for the selfrighteous and those who use religion as a crutch. Alot of these same people have issues similar to those of Fawley. Feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Maybe even dealing with a sexual deviancy of their own that they pray the good Lord will help see the through. All the while, throwing stones at those with the same afflictions. Of course, the individual can't be blamed soley for this, it usually starts in the home. Mommy and daddy telling them how the human body and a filthy mind is the Devil's playground.

Geeeee, judging people is fun, huh?

[cosmicmojo]

"Taylor wasn't that young to be starting college. She would have turned 18 next week. She just had a late birthday, but she was born in 1987 just like when all the other 18 year old college freshmen were born."
Posted by: Yayo | Oct 6, 2005 2:47:00 PM

Maybe more kids are skipping grades then when I was a kid. I and my peers turned 18 while we were in high school, not a year later in college. I remember because it was pretty exciting to go get beer when you were in high school.

[Captain Joe]

Fox reporting that the body may have been dismembered

[cosmicmojo]

"Alot can be said for the selfrighteous and those who use religion as a crutch. Alot of these same people have issues similar to those of Fawley. Feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Maybe even dealing with a sexual deviancy of their own that they pray the good Lord will help see the through. All the while, throwing stones at those with the same afflictions. Of course, the individual can't be blamed soley for this, it usually starts in the home. Mommy and daddy telling them how the human body and a filthy mind is the Devil's playground.
Geeeee, judging people is fun, huh?"
Posted by: absynth_minded | Oct 6, 2005 2:50:35 PM

Yep, I agree a_m.
I could explore different ways people prey on the defenseless.

If a kid broke his arm 'cause he fell off the monkey bars would we refuse to set it since it was his own actions that caused it? Of course not, we'd give him care, compassion and love.

[absynth_minded]

Not a shocker, Joe, especially if Fawley is the killer.

"You know the deal, us creepy “Goths” don't mind cleaning up after the dead. C;="

[anon]

My big brother was a Marine-as much as I love and respect him, he holds similar (Marine-inculcated) ideas. It's a shame ( though not at all surprising, really) that to be a brave and heroic soldier -and to do your job well-you have to give up some compassion.

I'm really interested in the alienation kids are experiencing with their internet chat. Look at all of us-we get to know each other through this medium through what we write. But we could ALL be lying-it could all be false. How would we know? Taylor and her friends ( and thousands like them-normal kids) bared their souls to the 6 billion people on earth through their live journals-tools that, by definition, are the daily repositories of their feelings. So all of their online relationships were based on perceptions-not realities- of each other. This is so dangerous! Not only does it get in the way (IMHO) of forming solid, growth-oriented interpersonal relationships, it renders the posters vulnerable to whomever chooses to read their hearts, and seek their weaknesses. It also allows for a ready forum to live fantasies (positive and negative) and blurs the line between fantasy and reality. If taken too far, how can we be surprised that children are victimized? Taylor's announcement online that she was going to VCU made her a beacon-for new friends, and for predators. How many children need to be victimized before our culture rethinks this medium? I LIVE on the internet for work-couldn't do my job without the web research I do everyday. But I can't imagine divulging my soul and expecting to be safe-and I'm not a child.
Not sure what to do about it-can't "ban" anything-nor should we-but maybe our educational system needs to revamp its internet curriculum to teach young people how to protect themselves so they, too, can "dodge some bullets" as CosmicMojo so eloquently described our collective childhood mistakes and hijinks.

[Sweetie]

Sad, sad day. My prayers are with Taylor's family, don't worry Taylor, we will find out what happened to you, you can rest in peace now.

[New Creature]

SHUT UP PEOPLE! Get off "Marine's" back. We all know hindsight is 20/20!!! Don't make this about religion. It is important for us as parents to take a cold hard look at this situation and do everything we can to instill in them the shrewdness, and awareness of evil that keeps them alive if they are ever in Taylor's situation.

Saying a person's associations don't make them more exposed to danger is absolutely ignorant!!!

Blaming the victim is NOT what I read of "Marine's" post. You people look like you were ready to pounce as soon as someone said something sobering.

Pray for Taylor's family, and hold your children tight! Get off one another's backs.

[absynth_minded]

Well spoken, anon, I couldn't agree with either yourself or Mojo, more....

[anon]

Sorry such a long manifesto. Just feeling so sad and frustrated and pissed off at who did this.

Has anyone found out the physical address of the site where she was found?

[Eno freak]

I work in the Richmond media and can confirm 100% that the body HAS Been positively identified as Taylor's

[cosmicmojo]

I agree, people don't think how thier private info on blogs is NOT private. Even here, we had a few people surprise we were quoting thier journal, feeling weird that their private info was on this web page. Well, hellloooo, it's on the internet, it's public informaiton. People haven't thought that through.

I had a friend freak 'cause people came up to her at parties and mentioned stuff that was on her blog. Duh, you print it, we read it. The sense of privacy is misleading.

And anon, all that time devoted to internet relationships is at a cost of "real" human interaction. Maybe kids today don't know how to interact in person as well as we do since so much of the interaction is done online.

Maybe they didn't develop the same warning sensors we did when interacting with a bad seed?

[anon]

BTW, Cosmic,

The person who said "All things being equal, the simplest answer is usally the right one" Was Ockham, and this is called, by we scientists, "Ockham's Razor"
And it's usally correct in just about everything deductive.

[hmmm....]

Pray for Taylor's family, and hold your children tight! Get off one another's backs.

Posted by: New Creature | Oct 6, 2005 3:06:12 PM

No doubt.....

[absynth_minded]

Blaming the victim is NOT what I read of "Marine's" post. You people look like you were ready to pounce as soon as someone said something sobering.

With all due respect, you need to read a little harder, cause Marine's wording totally came off as callous and desensitized. As for my religious comment, it was an example of what Marine was doing.

[suzyqueue]

Maybe they didn't develop the same warning sensors we did when interacting with a bad seed?

Posted by: cosmicmojo | Oct 6, 2005 3:10:46 PM

Just a thought, someone mentioned earlier that parents often step in to "save" their children from teachers, etc. How children who have been over-protected like this develop the skills to protect themselves?

[SadinNC]

Well, this is very sad news to learn today.
However, on the flip side, and in comparison to the Natalee Holloway story, the family can at least bring some closure to the case w/ this discovery and the police seem to have a very good handle on the case thus far. My thoughts and prayers are w/ the families of both victims.