Accused Killer of Taylor Behl is Not Expected To Enter A Plea.  Jan. 23, 2006.

By  Seamus McGraw  

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(Crime Library) 

Mathews County, Va. Authorities at the Mathews County courthouse are bracing for a media onslaught later this week when Benjamin Fawley makes his first court appearance in the slaying of Virginia Commonwealth University freshman Taylor Behl.

The 38-year-old part-time photographer — currently being held in Richmond on an unrelated child pornography charge — will be transported Wednesday to this rural, eastern Virginia courthouse for what is expected to be a brief court appearance. He is scheduled to appear before Judge William H. Shaw III, who is expected to name an attorney for Fawley. A tentative trial date may also be set.

Benjamin Fawley

Fawley was indicted Jan. 17 on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the slaying of Behl, a pretty young co-ed who vanished from the university's Richmond campus in September just days after the fall term began. Her body was found a month later, dumped on a farm linked to Fawley in rural Mathews County.

Area near where Taylor's body was found

Fawley has reportedly told authorities that the young woman, with whom he had a brief relationship, had died accidentally during rough sex. But Behl's mother, Janet Pelasara, and authorities allege that Fawley, who is said to have been outraged over Behl's decision to sever their ties, intentionally killed her.

Janet Pelasara

Legal experts have noted that the prosecution faces some stiff obstacles in their drive to convict Fawley, chiefly the fact that Behl's body was so decomposed when it was recovered that authorities have not determined a cause of death.

Fawley is not expected to enter a plea at Wednesday's hearing. Still, Mathews County authorities are beefing up security for Fawley's much-anticipated court appearance. Among other things, additional officers will be posted at the doors to the courthouse and only 35 seats will be available in the courtroom for the proceeding, said Mathews County Sheriff Danny C. Howlett.

Sheriff Danny C. Howlett

Mathews County, a rural community that has seen only a handful of homicides in recent memory, does not have its own jail, and while waiting for his appearance, the accused killer will be lodged in one of the sheriff's holding cells, Howlett said. State law prohibits prisoners from remaining in a holding cell for more than eight hours and so, after the hearing, Fawley will be returned under tight security to Richmond.

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