RICHMOND, Va. — The body of Virginia Commonwealth University freshman Taylor Behl was found in a wooded area in Mathews County, Virginia, 20 years ago, transforming a high-profile missing person case into a death investigation.
Ben Fawley was ultimately charged with Behl's murder – a man longtime CBS 6 reporter and Sunday p.m. anchor Tracy Sears had interviewed shortly after the teen vanished.
In the CBS 6 archives, thousands of old videotapes collect dust, including footage that hasn't been viewed in decades. Among these tapes is an interview that became central to one of Richmond's most mysterious murder cases.
Behl disappeared on Labor Day 2005, making headlines across Virginia and the nation. The 17-year-old was last seen that evening.
Sears began covering the story on September 11, 2005, initially interviewing VCU's police chief. At that time, authorities didn't suspect foul play.
"From all of her friends that we've talked to, her roommate, no evidence of any conflicts with anyone, or anybody who she indicated that she was afraid of anyone, or any indication she might be taken by anyone," the police chief said.
Sears then visited the Village Café, a restaurant where Taylor had eaten just hours before she disappeared. There, she met a man distributing flyers with Taylor's picture – Ben Fawley.
"She said she was going skateboarding with some guys. She didn't tell me who," Fawley said.
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Taylor Behl case: 20 years after VCU student's tragic disappearance
Fawley initially refused an on-camera interview but eventually agreed to speak if his face wasn't shown.
"After she borrowed my skateboard, she said she wanted to drop her purse off, so we walked her, I walked her back to the dorms," Fawley said. "After that, I kind of lose track of time."
As the interview progressed, Fawley's story became increasingly inconsistent.
"So she came here to eat, then she went to your place… I guess she came here to eat, um, that's the thing that, ughhh," Fawley said, contradicting himself.
"I think the biggest red flag during that interview was he looked at me and he said, 'I'm worried for Taylor. She told me she wants to do something illegal, something outrageous, and I warned her against it,'" Sears recalled.
WATCH: Ben Fawley interviewed during Taylor Behl disappearance
Later that night, Sears interviewed Taylor's mother, Janet Pelasara, who said she didn't know Fawley but indicated police were aware of him.
Unknown at the time, Fawley had previously appeared on CBS 6 in a feature about his distinctive, sticker-covered van. He was an amateur photographer with an obsession with skulls.
Days after the interview, police named Fawley a person of interest in Behl's disappearance. He was soon arrested on child pornography charges after police seized computers from his apartment near campus.
In early October 2005, Behl's remains were discovered in a remote area of Mathews County, about 75 miles east of Richmond.
Fawley later admitted to police he was with her when she died, claiming he accidentally choked the teen during consensual sex. Prosecutors believed it was murder but faced challenges proving it due to the condition of Behl's remains.
WATCH: Taylor Behl: 20 years after the VCU disappearance that changed campus safety forever
Sears' interview with Fawley would likely have been key evidence had the case gone to trial, and she prepared to testify.
"I knew that I would be asked to take the stand," Sears said. "I remember being very nervous about potentially having to expose myself in that way."
The trial never occurred, as Fawley accepted a plea deal in August 2006.
"No one will really know the motive behind this and the reason a young girl had to lose her life," Sears reflected.
Two decades later, the memories of this case remain vivid for the reporter.
"I do find myself more especially as I've gotten older, thinking about these cases and thinking about some of the people I've talked to and some of the heartbreaking parents that I've had to interview," Sears said, "And it just, it just sort of lives there forever, and it's in the back of your mind, but it keeps you up at night, and it's a lot to reflect on."
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