Full Taylor Behl news coverage

By Marilyn Bardsley

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RICHMOND (CRIME LIBRARY) Taylor Behl's one-time lover and friend was arrested Friday by Richmond police on 16 counts of possessing child pornography. Benjamin W. Fawley, 38, father of two, was taken into custody at his apartment at 407 Hancock Street. Police say that this arrest is not related to the Sept. 5 disappearance of 17-year-old Taylor. Fawley was one of the last people to see Taylor alive on the night of her disappearance.

Police arrived with guns drawn and ordered Fawley out of his apartment. Fawley did not resist arrest. He was served with search warrants for his fingerprints, hair and DNA as well as to search for any items that may belong to Taylor Behl, such as her clothing, jewelry, cell phone, license plates, etc.

Fawley had posted his interest in collecting auto license plates on various Internet Web sites. He owned a blue Dodge van that he referred to as his Nowhere Van in one of his Web sites. "The inside of Nowhere Van 4 has enough room for most of my license plate collection," he wrote. Taylor's car was found with Ohio license plates that had been stolen in Richmond several weeks before his disappearance.

Earlier this week, Richmond police confirmed that several hours after Taylor was last seen, Fawley claimed that he had been abducted and robbed of a camera and some cash.

In an earlier search of Fawley's apartment, police seized seven computers and photographic equipment. No pornographic photos of Taylor were found on Fawley's computers.

Fawley's lawyer, Chris Collins, was present at the time of the arrest. Collins claimed that police were investigating three people regarding Taylor's disappearance.

Janet Plesara, Taylor's mother, said of Fawley's arrest "It is only the beginning," she predicted, "of Ben Fawley's downward spiral into the depths of hell." Plesara has made no secret of her disapproval of Taylor's relationship with Fawley: "Maybe this was her dumb decision but, it's still wrong, it's still against the law. He's a sick man for doing it. He's 38. She's 17."

Contact Marilyn Bardsley at 912.704.3249 or bardsleym@courttv.com

 

 

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