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

[absynthminded]

Sounds to me like Taylor fought back and got a few licks in. In my mind, that speaks volumes for what was done to her. I just wish it was enough to constitute for more serious charges.

[k]

More on today's hearing: and this is even more troubling than the effort to smear Taylor...Just because they dropped the additional charges (while in the commission of rape, sodomy, or abduction) why does that eliminate premeditation resulting in 2nd degree murder?

http://www.wwbt.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT/MGArticle/WBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834070407

[donho]

Fawley indictment changes

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-fawleyfeb13,0,3667360.story?coll=dp-widget-news

[teresa]

http://www.wwbt.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WWBT%2FMGArticle%2FWBT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834059609

BF back in court today...

I hope he holds his breathe.

[nova]

Thanks raindrops for the info. Too bad those dorms for freshmen women dont have curfews. By the way if they go out late at night dont they have to sign out at the front desk or something like that?

[raindrops]

IslandHney - Many of their students are non-residential students. The only students who are guaranteed dorm rooms are incoming freshmen. After that many students move to apartments. VCU also has a huge day student population. It's location makes it very attractive to people who live in small towns within driving distance for undergraduate and graduate night classes as well. When people hear the 32,000 figure they tend to think of that many people being in traditional classes, but that isn't the case. VCU's urban setting creates a variety of learning situations designed to meet the needs of traditional and non-traditional students. I don't mean to sound like the university catalogue, but since my daughter just graduated from there recently, we've had a lot of experience dealing with its procedures, etc.

And I believe the fact that there are so many older students would make it easier for someone like BF to blend in. Students are used to seeing tremendous diversity on campus; therefore, no one really stands out as being "too different."

[justathought]

Hey Rick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Have Missed YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rick]

Place is a crypt Abby.

[abigail]

heh! Diane, there's Rick and I hear from Bob via email occasionally. Bob said he will come back when the trial starts and things pick up. Hope we don't have to wait that long! :)

[Rick]

By the way have you heard from Rick or Bob?? I miss their posts.

Posted by: Diane

Rick checks in occasionally without comment for fear of blowing the page up. ;-)

Rick

[IslandHney]

Nova - I had to chuckle at your comments about VCU having housing problems with 32,000 students. When I was in college, the school had around 7,500 students and had housing problems! I have to agree - 32,000 is size of a small city! I wonder how many students are non-resident students - the ones not requiring housing?

[Diane]

Abigail,Thanks for the post.My blood is boiling as I can't believe they want to hire a sexual behavior expert it just blows my mind.I still don't think a jury will see this case as an accidental death.A big key factor is going to be how long her body laid out in the woods. No accident here Fawley knew what he was doing and it was a choice he morally made.In my opinion if Fawley had come forward when it happened or a week later a jury might believe his story.By the way have you heard from Rick or Bob?? I miss their posts.

[nova]

I did some checking to find out the number of students enrolled at VCU. It is listed as having 32,000 students. And that includes the Medical College of Virginia. I was amazed. VCU was a small school back in the 1960s. No wonder they have housing problems.

[abigail]

You've got to be freaking kidding me! Sorry Dan, I copied and pasted, but it's not that long! :)

Fawley's lawyers want case thrown out

From NBC12 News
Friday, February 10, 2006

See Video

Lawyers for Benjamin Fawley, the man charged in the death of Virginia Commonwealth University student Taylor Behl, want his case thrown out. Defense attorneys filed a motion Thursday in Mathews County saying the indictment contains a list of possible charges that make his murder indictment unclear.

Fawley also wants to hire a sexual behavior expert to explain a sexual act in which the breathing is restricted to heighten pleasure. He claims Behl died during "rough sex."

(c) 2006. Jefferson Pilot Communications Company of Virginia. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[donho]

Here's a link to update on Fawley case w/pictures...

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-news-fawleybehltrial,0,2081407.story?coll=dp-news-local-final

[nova]

Maybe so. Maybe so. Still the scene in Richmond and around VCU seems to have been made for him to blend into. I think he was living an adolescence he never had while he was in jail previously.

[justathought]

Hey Nova :-)

You asked "Do you think he could have fit in there? I dont think so." about bf fitting in in Blacksburg or Charlottesville. Well I personally think that he would. He may not be goth then although there are Goth in c'ville, but he would have made himself "fit in" to what ever culture he would have landed in in those cities as well. I think it would not have mattered what city any where in the world he would have been in he could have found enough people to copy that he could have held it together for a while at least.

[abigail]

Janet on NBC 12 tonight at 11--well, I'm sure it's taped..

[abigail]

nova,

Yeah, you're probably right about the goth/skater thing not being in Blacksburg or Charlottesville, but I just now asked my husband (while I typed that first part) about when he went to VT and he graduated in '89, about "artsy fartsy" folks at school and could you tell them apart and he said, "yeah, they mostly dressed in black, but nothing like the numbers you find at VCU." And that was before I graduated high school--man he's old! :)
I hope bf is not medicated in prison, I hope those voices in his head are causing him to go more insane then he already is! Ha, I never thought about the computer thing in jail! That's hilarious! Poor little weanie boy.
Off to watch Survivor and distance myself from the violence of the world for at least an hour! Later----

[nova]

Abagail: You may be right. But somehow I dont see Goths in Blacksburg or Charlottesville. I read somewhere the reason BF was in Richmond is because that is where his car broke down. He would have flipped out eventually anywhere. Yep. Not taking his meds did it. He must be well medicated in prison. It must drive him nuts that he cant use a computer in jail.

[abigail]

I am curious about whats happened in Richmond to make it so dangerous. I know about it being on I-95 and the drug trade but what else is there? Something else is going on. As for BF he was in and around VCU. He was NOT in Charlottesville or Blacksburg. Do you think he could have fit in there? I dont think so.

Posted by: nova | Wednesday, February 08, 2006 at 09:25 AM

Everyone stops taking their meds!

I think bf is sort of like a chameleon, he could change and fit in (at first) anywhere.

[St. Lucia]

I like Bill Moseley as Ben, Sheri Moon as Rachel, Rob Zombie as Mike, Paris Hilton (dye her hair!) as Erin, Elizabeth Shue as Janet.

[St. Lucia]

Anne Hathaway as Taylor

[nova]

After the trial and after the true crime books are written about this case someone will want to make a made for tv movie. What actors and actresses do you think should play the parts of Taylor,Rachel,Erin,Ben,Mike,Janet,Matt,Sam Forrest,Mike's mother,Cesca,Jesse,Kevin,Jonathan and any others that I have forgotten.
I like Wynona Ryder for Erin and Jim Carey for Ben(I dont think Johnny Depp would take the role). I am too old to know the younger actors and actresses. Maybe a cast of unknowns would be best. What do ou think?

[nova]

I am curious about whats happened in Richmond to make it so dangerous. I know about it being on I-95 and the drug trade but what else is there? Something else is going on. As for BF he was in and around VCU. He was NOT in Charlottesville or Blacksburg. Do you think he could have fit in there? I dont think so.

[abigail]

In "City Crime Statistics", an annual reference book, Richmond, VA came in FIFTH on the list of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. I'd say that's pretty dangerous. One of the latest murders is that of Michael Dobbs, a recent college graduate, shot dead after leaving the house of some friends in the Carytown area. He was found dead on the sidewalk of a single gunshot. No witnesses; the motive is thought to be "robbery". Twenty-two years old, and his life is snuffed out just like that. Richmond IS a dangerous city.

Posted by: Cynthia | Tuesday, February 07, 2006 at 04:40 PM

True that in 2004 we were fifth and 2006 is not looking too good. There are blocks that are considered safe and go 2 blocks down and it's not so great. Carytown is all cute with little shops but going east (one-way at that point anyway) to the right is not as safe as the blocks to the left--leading up to Boulevard. It's all about where you go, what time you go in some "hoods". When I was younger I was "invincible" in all parts of the city. Running around, getting dropped off at the Cellar Door at Broad and Boulevard. How did I back then convince my mom it was safe? No clue and I'm lucky. Would I go there now and hang out after dark, heck no! It's all a case of if I knew then what I know now sort of thing. Still, I could be shot in Midlothian by a bank robber, I could have been killed by the Snipers in Asland...Like I mentioned before Richmond is a prime stop for dealers and people on the run. I95 is perfect--runs from FL to New England. I'm not proud of Richmonds crime history as this is not the first time we've made the "list", but as far as the "bf" types go, they are everywhere. He would have snapped eventually in any town because he's a crazy person.
NBC12 is doing "story" in a few on bf, so I'm off for now....

[Cynthia]

In "City Crime Statistics", an annual reference book, Richmond, VA came in FIFTH on the list of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. I'd say that's pretty dangerous. One of the latest murders is that of Michael Dobbs, a recent college graduate, shot dead after leaving the house of some friends in the Carytown area. He was found dead on the sidewalk of a single gunshot. No witnesses; the motive is thought to be "robbery". Twenty-two years old, and his life is snuffed out just like that. Richmond IS a dangerous city.

[abigail]

It does not appear to be listed on the case website as it may be listed under juvenile cases which appear to not be public info.

[Captain Joe]

What happened to the Porn charges for BF? Aren't they going to try him? Is there a court appearance scheduled yet? Or does the murder charge have precidence?

[abigail]

abigail,
sorry, i didn't mean to sound like i don't like cities or richmond in particular. i head to richmond myself for the theater and big shopping trips - and never think twice about it! LOL - but, of course, i'm invincible and my daughter isn't. you know how that goes! i really prefer the city to the small town we are now living in - nothing to do x10. having been raised in virginia beach, i long for the excitement of city life.

Posted by: raindrops | Monday, February 06, 2006 at 05:31 PM

raindrops,
yes, I know how much we worry about our kids rather than ourselves! It is ironic that we feel we are invincible compared to them, but the younger one is the more they feel that they are! Funny how the circle of life works! I'm more paranoid the older I get, but I'm here to look out for my "baby" and keep her safe and make sure she does not have a worry in the world. The only thing she worries about is aliens and ghosts, oh and the latest is Tornadoes.???? I think that's some school benefit thing which is good, but she's scared to death that we will lose our home and pets! Oh well, at least dreams of a 6th birthday party can comfort her a little! :) Don't know how that happened...6? I'm sure it's harder as the years go on--the more I have to let go. "Me not like".

[raindrops]

abigail,

sorry, i didn't mean to sound like i don't like cities or richmond in particular. i head to richmond myself for the theater and big shopping trips - and never think twice about it! LOL - but, of course, i'm invincible and my daughter isn't. you know how that goes! i really prefer the city to the small town we are now living in - nothing to do x10. having been raised in virginia beach, i long for the excitement of city life.

[abigail]

now she's graduated and working in richmond - not the safest place, but she's grown to really like living there - so i keep my fingers crossed and hope her caution and common sense will be enough to prevail against the dangers there

thank you for your kind comment

Posted by: raindrops | Sunday, February 05, 2006 at 07:11 PM

Richmond is not really "unsafe". Most crimes, murders in general are drug related. Some are by people victims know. We've gotten a bad reputation in the past months, with warrent I know, but I'm sure your daughter will be safe as she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. I think in any city the same holds true. You have to make wise decisions and don't go run errands late at night as you may be caught in something you are completly unaware of. We live right outside the city limits in Bon Air and even though the closest store is within the city, after dark I head in the other direction. Not that I don't feel safe, but there are homeless people hanging out and I just don't want the hassle and yes I'll admit sometimes I feel uncomfortable, but I don't think I'll be a victim of a violent crime. I could be in denial, but that crap could happen anywhere. Richmond is full of culture, history and unfortunatly crime, but the good definatley outweighs the bad.

[abigail]

As far as the age issue thing, I think bf took full advantage of his young looks to take advantage of younger kids, especially girls. Perhaps they could not pinpoint that he was a crazy person right away. Did he have any "friends" his own age? I'm several years younger and I would not even fathom hanging out with someone like him. I'm only blaming one person, but just trying to figure it all out like everyone else. We all use bad judgement and make bad decisions at times and thank goodness it works out for the majority of us. I'm sure there are many "what if's" going around...

[Cynthia]

What about BF's massive collection of pornography? Shouldn't THAT have given this Cesca a little clue as to what kind of person her roommate was? Did she REALLY believe that the porn belonged to a previous tenant who had "died" and that Fawley intended to sell it all on Ebay? Ben Fawley gave her a lot of bullshit, and she always seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't think most people who knew Fawley viewed him as a "nice" guy, unless they were the teenage girls he sought to seduce. Most people who did know him now say he always very, very strange and unstable.

[raindrops]

vedder

mostly i was thankful - that she listened to the excellent advice on safety that was given by VCU when we went for her college visit and orientation - and that she took her parents seriously when we threatened her with the loss of every privilege she'd ever enjoyed (but most importantly her car)if we found out she was not paying attention to their advice and her own common sense

now she's graduated and working in richmond - not the safest place, but she's grown to really like living there - so i keep my fingers crossed and hope her caution and common sense will be enough to prevail against the dangers there

thank you for your kind comment

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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....

[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]

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...

[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...

[peace]

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

[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...

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.