Ben Fawley Roomate Waterfield Pens Article

Benjamin W. Fawley has admitted to police that he killed Taylor Marie Behl, saying it was an accident during a sexual encounter in which he restricted her breathing. In January a grand jury indicted him on a charge of first-degree murder. Last week authorities transferred him from the Richmond City Jail to Mathews County Circuit Court — in the jurisdiction where Behl’s body was found. A judge appointed an attorney to his case. He is now back at the city jail, awaiting a trial scheduled for May 30.

Ben Fawley took photographs of everything, including young women. I don’t know where he preferred to meet his subjects, and in the figurative pictures I recall, they appeared to be different adherents to a broadly defined subculture that valued expression and idiosyncratic lifestyles — nothing that alone could fairly be said to signal danger or social dysfunction. The photographs, however, share a weird similarity, a creepiness owed only to what we now know of Ben. His chosen backdrops were abandoned buildings amid decay or destruction — crumbling rafters, bulldozed facades, walls hammered by age — setting off the vulnerability and sexuality of a young woman.

Full article and perhaps a bit of additional insight into Ben Fawley and events immediately after Taylor Behl was strangled here.

Comments

[Justice]

Hope he gets the death sentence. He was the judge and jury for Taylor. He deserves nothing less. Creep.

[Justice]

Hope he gets the death sentence. He was the judge and jury for Taylor. He deserves nothing less. Creep.

[jadensmokes]

There is that "do something illegal before 18" comment again. What was it she wanted to do? Anything illegal, or was there a specific something, and what was it? Oh, well guess we'll have to wait for the trial to get this and so many more answers.

[k]

Why has this come out on February 1st? Did they lift the gag order; because it sure seems that the roommate be someone who would have been under such an order.

[k]

Remember "the" BF is the source of that "illegal" comment. and..after Taylor's disappearance.

[IslandHney]

That comment regarding "something illegal before 18" was originally attributed to Kevin per Marilyn B.'s CourtTV interview.

Perhaps it originally originated from Fawley and Kevin repeated it. Fawley sought out Kevin in the immediate days after Taylor disappeared - even though Kevin claims he didn't know Fawley - to inquire where Taylor was. This would have been prior to Marilyn's interview with Kevin.

[jadensmokes]

thanks K and Isle. I only recalled that Kevin had said it, but thought he said Taylor told him...definitely could be bf's pathological mind that started it.

[New Creature]

Referring to the "gag order" comment by K: Is it possible she was able to write the article because she will not be witness in the trial?

[afmomx3]

who cares!!!
BEN FAWLEY "IS ONE SICK GUY" !!!
and that's all i'm gonna say about that!!!
Rest in peace Taylor
respectfully,
afmomx3

[afmomx3]

WHO CARES !!!
" BEN FAWLEY IS ONE MEAN AND CRUEL INDIVIDUAL !!!"
enough said...

Rest in Peace, Taylor

Respectfully,
afmomx3

[bardocka]

"Oops, I accidently strangled her while I raped her, my bad."

What an ass.

[nova]

This is an excellent article. I like the way the person who wrote it tries to stay objective and just report as facts things she knows to be true. She doesnt engage in speculation or second guessing. It is a well written straight forward account of what she saw and what she knew and nothing more.
Thank you Ms. Waterfield for a fine piece of reporting.
And also isnt it nice to know that Ben Fawley is locked up in jail and cant lie to or hurt anyone else?

[Hmm...]

I must concurr with the sentiment already expressed by a few others: That article was magnificently written. That woman should become a writer as a full time profession, if she hasn't already.

[Phoenix]

Incredible writing.

[abigail]

A job well done especially since she lived with the--well, you guys know what I want to call him, but Dan would punish me! Can't imagine her confusion and doubt. It's funny that we have doubts about people but don't really want to because we are "afraid" of our intuitions and what if we are wrong?

[jadensmokes]

Abby- I think it's because we are all becoming programmed to be politically correct that we don't listen to our intuitions anymore for fear that someone will nail us for it.

[Phoenix]

Abigail and jadensmokes -

I agree with you on the 'creep factor' and our gut reactions. We'd all be better off if we listened to those visceral rumblings, but it seems as if our minds flip over into analyzing our 'fears' away and we quiet our gut reactions. I'm sure PC has a lot to do with it, but I'm wondering how much a part of being female plays in it. Even after a pile of doo-doo and betrayal in my life, I still tend to see the good in people and to want to believe that all is well. I wonder if guys go through a similar process as women do in confronting the 'creep factor'?

[abigail]

I wonder if guys go through a similar process as women do in confronting the 'creep factor'?

Posted by: Phoenix | Friday, February 03, 2006 at 11:13 AM

I doubt they analyze it. I think for guys it's a take it or leave it thing. I don't think they tie their emotions into these things too much. Who knows.

[Phoenix]

I think you're right. Evolution had to have played a part. No sense in having a mighty warrior ready to strike the final blow to his mortal enemy stopping to pause and ponder....'I wonder if his mother was mean to him?' We'd never have made it as a species...

[abigail]

Perhaps women in general would be better off in certain situtations if we could react like men--well, that would be to not really react. Just take it or leave it, but then we would be raising "robots" for kids I think. Mothers are much more nurturing but our kids need that. Without nurture a baby can die. There is some plan here but I have not figured it out.

[abigail]

P.S. P, I liked your analogy of the "warrior", I found that quite humorous as I had a picture in my head of a "mighty" cave man thinking he was the bomb with a club pondering about his enemies momma. hehe.

[Captain Joe]

I wonder if Waterfield is Hildybrant. She was an english major at VCU but seems to have moved on somewhere else. I suspect the gag order doesn't cross borders because of jurisdiction of the judge who issued it, or on the other hand, maybe she just doesn't give a damn what a judge said. I think it may be the latter case.

[k]

Not Hildy: unless this Cesca is an alias... but the literary voices and maturity of the writng here is very different from that of Hildy...
This writer seems to see the bigger picture of the world and does not get stuck on minutiae she does not have tunnel vision from what I can see.

[k]

Sorry about the typos...not a typist...
"the literary voice" not "voices", I meant

[Cynthia]

This girl appears to have little common sense. Anyone with intuition could take ONE look at Ben Fawley and sense that something is not right with this guy. After living with him for a week, any reasonable person would have run for the hills. But she lived with him until the shit hit the fan; that is, when the FBI told her she had better get out while the getting was good. Actually, she seems a little flaky herself. It was in the news that she thought he was "a nice, normal guy" at first. A nice, normal guy?! Anyone who stays up all night working on art projects that focus on skulls and death and desolation is NOT "a nice, normal guy". A guy who own "hundreds" of pornographic DVDs and videos is NOT a "nice, normal guy". Anyone who tries to look like he's 25 when he's pushing forty, anyone whose "friends" tend to be exclusively young girls is NOT a "nice, normal guy". I hope she puts more thought into choosing a roommate next time; someone who is not a bi-polar, violent, thief and pornography collecter might be a good choice.

[St. Lucia]

I think Cesca, whoever she is, is trolling for a book or movie deal. Her "account" reads like a made-for-TV movie, titled "My Life With The Murderer."
Oh heavens, what's next? Others trying to cash in, that's whats next.
Let's give 'em some titles to work with now, so they can get their stories written. It sure beats waiting tables.
How About "I Was Ben's Lover" or "I Was There When Ben Beat his Girlfriend, But I Didn't Move Out Until the FBI Said To."
How about this one: "I Didn't Know Taylor, But I Know About Her Sexual Dark From The Murk."
I mean, common. Why would "the authorities" be sharing Fawley's phone records with Cesca? And if she's that close to case, why isn't she under a gag order like everyone else closely connected to it?
Maybe she lived in the same building with him, maybe not. Who cares.
The only thing I read which Janet or Matt should respond to, is this assertion Cesca makes that Matt Behl and Taylor came to Richmond, he dropped Taylor off at the Fawley compound, and then he went off picking daisys or something leaving Taylor there to fend for herself.
If Taylor went to Richmond to tour the school, and she stayed with whoever she stayed with, where did Matt Behl go when Taylor stayed at Club Fawley? Did he rent a hotel? Why not rent a double room, then? Does he reside in Richmond? And if he lives in Richmond, why didn't Taylor stay at his house? Or was he on a business trip, only dropping Taylor off and continuing on some jaunt?
Nothing sinister inferred here, just a wish for additional clarifying info.

[vedder]

I read that Matt stayed at a motel that weekend...

He also said,at that point,he could not tell Taylor where she could,or could not stay because she was almost in college...

I'm sure he would do anything to have that cold day in FEB back again...

[abigail]

Cesca really had no where else to go and as far as intuition goes, women have it and use it, but I think most try to give the benefit of doubt because we tend to care about peoples feelings. This girl knew bf for what, 8 weeks? She had written that she started to feel uncomfortable with him, but she could not just pick up and go. As far as Taylors Dad goes, he left her--if he did "leave", at Mikes--a friend from high school. I believe her dad lives in NOVA. Are we sure she "stayed" there? Is this based on bfs site? I don't know as I've read pages and pages as I'm sure everyone else has. All I know is that we cannot blame anyone else except bf. He is the one who took Taylors life.

[vedder]

Well,Matt actually left Taylor with BF that weekend...Mike was not even there when they arrived.So yes,he left her with a stranger...

I also recall hearing that Mike stayed at his girlfriends place that weekend,as well...

[Peace]

This girl appears to have little common sense. Anyone with intuition could take ONE look at Ben Fawley and sense that something is not right with this guy. Anyone who stays up all night working on art projects that focus on skulls and death and desolation is NOT "a nice, normal guy".
Posted by: Cynthia | Saturday, February 04, 2006 at 07:34 PM

Cynthia - Since you've never met him, you really don't know that. Ben actually does come across as a nice guy. You're making a judgment call based on hindsight. What, were you born over 30? I think there are quite a few students who stay up all night to finish or work on projects. Didn't you ever stay up all night? How does one's sleeping habits make them a bad person?

"The only thing I read which Janet or Matt should respond to, is this assertion Cesca makes that Matt Behl and Taylor came to Richmond, he dropped Taylor off at the Fawley compound, and then he went off picking daisys or something leaving Taylor there to fend for herself.
If Taylor went to Richmond to tour the school, and she stayed with whoever she stayed with, where did Matt Behl go when Taylor stayed at Club Fawley? Did he rent a hotel? Why not rent a double room, then?" Posted by: St. Lucia | Saturday, February 04, 2006 at 09:48 PM

St Lucia - Taylor had plans to stay at Mike's apartment - an apartment he shared with Ben and two other people Matt knew Mike. Taylor had known Mike for some time. Janet knew Mike. He wasn't a stranger. Matt lives in Northern Virginia. I, myself, make Richmond a day drive. Sometimes I drive down, drop off or pick up, and turn around and head back.

Well,Matt actually left Taylor with BF that weekend...Mike was not even there when they arrived.So yes,he left her with a stranger...

I also recall hearing that Mike stayed at his girlfriends place that weekend,as well...

Posted by: vedder | Saturday, February 04, 2006 at 11:31 PM

Vedder - Matt left Taylor with one of Mike's roommates. She was staying there anyway, whether Mike was home at that moment or not. Mike and his girlfriend were out running errands and hadn't gotten back yet. And you're right - Mike was at his girlfriend's that weekend - she's one of the roommates. They live at the same place. Ben lived there at that time as well as there being another roommate.

[abigail]

Vedder,
Perhaps I missed that as "fact", but why has the spotlight been taken off bf all of the sudden and put on Taylors dad? I don't know, perhaps Matt felt like he was leaving her with another college kid and Mike would be home soon. I'm sure her parents feel like crap already because I'm positive they keep going through everything in their minds. What if Janet denied Taylor an education because it would be too hard to let her baby go? Sure, she may still be alive working in a coffee house in NOVA, but who would have thought that this would have happened? I'm sure I will be "ill" letting my baby leave the nest, but it would be selfish of me to not provide her with a formal education that she deserves to make a great life for herself. No, I would not take her to check out a campus and let her stay in an apartment with anyone though. Girls or boys, although I know in the long run when I am not there she will hang out there--wherever. I went with a girlfriend to a campus visit 450 miles away, but I stayed with my brother, so that's a bit different.

[vedder]

So wait Peace..Mike, his girlfriend,BF and one other dude all lived in the same place?...Sorry,It had never occured to me that Rachel had lived there at the time.All you ever hear about is the three dudes...

[Peace]

Yes, Vedder - there were four of them living there. Where they are is a four bedroom house. It's how they all afford to live there.

[vedder]

Abby

Spotlight has NOT been taking off of BF and puy on Taylors dad,not at all

St lucia had a few questions about her father...thats all

He did stay at a motel that weekend and He did leave his daughter with someone he did not know...not judging anyone...I am well aware of how horrible he must feel...but these are the facts..

[vedder]

So again,I have to ask myself...What in Gods name was this 38 year old man doing living with three 20 year olds???...one who was a girl???

It just seems so unbelievably WRONG to me Peace...I know you don't agree with me on this,but It was just SO wrong...

[Peace]

They were renting rooms while they went to college. They weren't married to the guy. The fact is that they all paid their rent and paid it on time. No one stole anyone's food. It was a 3 year arrangement (apartments are somewhat scarce at VCU) and it was affordable. I don't think it's that uncommon when people rent out rooms that there might be large age differences.

[abigail]

It just seems like people are finding someone else to blame besides bf. Yes, Taylor could have been denied and education at VCU and may still be with us--many times before I've stated that I wished I'd never heard of her, but hindsite has no future to bring her back. Matt left her with Cino, who he did know. Who would leave their kid with someone if they did not trust both? Taylor was not killed that weekend and Mike nor any of his roommates except one murdered Taylor. It's all just a mess.

[Peace]

I guess I'm confused on the hang up on age. I have a very dear, very close friend who is almost 20 years my senior. She's been a friend to me since I was 10 and I started babysitting her daughter. Our friendship has evolved - of course it's different now than it was when I was 10. Her daughter is one of my son's Godmothers and now has two sons of her own. She's ten years my junior. My friend and I shared a lot of things and she helped me grow up. My mother is my best friend now. But we weren't friends when I was growing up. It was Mary I went to. There was nothing out of the ordinary about our relationship. I could sit and talk to her.

[peace]

Precisely, Abigail. Matt was leaving Taylor at Mike's apartment. Someone Matt DID know. Mike was not at home at the precise time that Matt dropped Taylor off. Taylor was trying to experience college life - at least that's what I'd heard. She couldn't do that from a hotel room with her father. And there was nothing about Ben that was threatening. Obviously Matt would not have left her there if he felt uncomfortable. He wasn't leaving her with Ben, he was leaving her with Mike.

[vedder]

ABBY

"No, I would not take her to check out a campus and let her stay in an apartment with anyone though. Girls or boys"

Never In a million years would I have left my daughter there for the weekend...never...

Thats just me though... and you are right,hindsite Has no future,but that weekend is the catalyst to this whole nightmare...

[vedder]

Abby and Peace

Yes,yes...she was to stay with Mike..we know this..

But do you think for ONE second her father would have let her stay there had he KNOWN that Ben was 38 years old???

I don't care how good of frinds she and Mike were,I'm thinking NOT...
He was DECIEVED! He ASSUMED everyone(and why wouldn't he?) in the house was a college KID..

Geez, I'm wondering why no one told either of her parents how old Ben was...I wonder...

[peace]

I imagine it didn't occur to them that his age was an issue.

[vedder]

No Peace, I disagree..
It DID occur to them that his age was an issue...
Mike and Taylor KNEW that her parents NEVER would have allowed her to stay there if they knew how old BF was...They KNEW it would be a HUGE problem...

I would bet everything I own that Ben even said "ya better not tell Taylors parents how old I am,they probably wouldn't be too cool with that..."

Kids decieve their parents like this ALL the time...

[vedder]

One more thing...just so we are clear..

Both Janet and Matt have stated many,many times,that they NEVER,EVER would have allowed Taylor to stay there that Weekend had they KNOWN that a 38 year old middle aged man was living there...

[peace]

It DID occur to them that his age was an issue...
Mike and Taylor KNEW that her parents NEVER would have allowed her to stay there if they knew how old BF was...They KNEW it would be a HUGE problem...

Kids decieve their parents like this ALL the time...

Posted by: vedder | Sunday, February 05, 2006 at 11:16 AM

Hey, Vedder - Age was NOT an issue for them, so I don't know that they were consciously thinking about it. I'm not sure why you think you KNOW what they were thinking unless you've spoken to them about it. I agree that kids deceive their parents all the time with things like this. In their minds, his age wasn't an issue. Like I said before, one of my dearest friends is about 20 years my senior. And she's been my friend for 36 years.

[vedder]

Peace...
Ben was a 38 year old ADULT male...He KNEW that the parents of a 17 year old girl would have major problems with his age...

Now, the KIDS may not have had a problem with it...But BEN KNEW that her PARENTS would...He absolutely did....

[St. Lucia]

I would STRONGLY caution Peace and others to think before they post here or CourtTV or anywhere else rendering judgments about who's accusing who of anything.
NO ONE! NO ONE! NO ONE is saying Matt Behl is responsible for anything. I brought it up because Cesca BROUGHT it UP in a damn newspaper article. YES CESCA or whoever the hell she is, I didn't start this. And I didn't accuse.
Apparently no one read the last line of my post:

"Nothing sinister inferred here, just a wish for additional clarifying info."

Instead of lamenting about how negative RiehlWorld is on CourtTV, and this is not personal you are a very nice woman and I mean no disrespect, why don't you wonder, why would this Cesca say such a thing? Why would SHE bring it up? Why did she throw such an open-ended point into the public forum?
I'll tell you why. She's got an axe to grind as well. That article was about Cesca and Ben, there was absolultely NO reason to bring Mr. Behl into it other than to stir up the shit storm, which sadly she was successful in doing.
My point was to nip this in the bud. We don't know Matt Behl's side of this thing and it's all guesswork on our end. But guesswork is bad, very bad.
An additional clarifying statement from the Behl side would have ended this right away, before we start speculating the night away. I have no damn clue why Mr. Behl stayed at a hotel and she stayed whereever she stayed. In the final analysis it isn't relevant, but it IS relevant when you have someone like Cesca bring up something like that for no reason in the newspaper.
Look at the other article that was recently referenced on CourtTV. The writer went into great detail about a hypothosis of what occurred the night of Sept. 5. Why? And that same writer must have mentioned Mike by first and last name three times. Why? Why do that? Why plant that seed? Oh sure, he said Mike had NOTHING to do with it. But if the writer really believed that, then he or she never would have mentioned him in the first place.
It's all fun and games to these people. Fun and games.
They taunt, we react.
I'll im saying is, when these things are brought up, we have to question motivation, then seek clarifying information.
Matt is a great guy and no way ever in this or any other world would I wish to have the load on his shoulders he must have now.
Maybe the real culprit here is the editor of Cesca's article who let that tacit remark slip by without getting both sides of the story.
I'm done. Godspeed Matt...

[nova]

I wonder if being 38 and acting like you are 20 years old and even looking like you are in your 20s is some form of disease. Physical or mental. It seems so strange and odd and out of the ordinary.
Also, Peace,you said "Ben does actually come across as a nice guy". Well that is exactly what con men and sociopaths do so well. They are criminals hiding behind a Mask of Sanity. Please read Mask of Sanity by Dr. Hervey Cleckley. This is the best book there is on sociopaths or psychopaths as they are sometime called. Another great book on this subject is Psychopaths by Allan Harrington. Read these two books to learn more about these criminals masquerading as "nice guys".
Peace: I had an older friend also but I didnt live with him. Dont you think there is a difference with having an older friend and living with them?
Also, the fact the BF had a criminal history was known to those who lived with him. Right?
I understand that Mike claims that BF had a habit of blaming all his troubles on others and doing it convincingly. Again. That is exactly what sociopaths are good at. And unfortunately they are good at conning people. Young and old. Male and female. They are the original wolf in sheeps clothing.
I think that age thing is a big issue. And the fact that BF was able to fool people about his age is a big part of this story.

[raindrops]

Not everyone thought Ben came across as a nice guy. He was in a class with my daughter a couple of years ago, and she got bad vibes from him then - primarily because she found his comments in class to be unsettling. She also had observed him on more than one occasion using his kids as "chick lures" as she called them. The next semester he was coming out of a class as she was entering it on several occasions, and he tried to speak to her as if he knew her - though they had never really chatted when they were in class together. She ignored him, and he stopped. When this murder happened, I mentioned how sad I thought it was. She reminded me of "Creepy," her name for him, and said,"Mom, Creepy is Ben Fawley." I don't think I have ever had a more chilling moment in my life.

[vedder]

raindrops

I remember you posted this before..

Your daughter seems like a very perceptive,healthy and mature young lady...

I'm sure you are very proud of her...