A Campus Mystery Unraveled

Summary

48 Hours Episode Summary: "A Campus Mystery Unraveled"

Podcast Information:

• Title: A Campus Mystery Unraveled
• Host/Author: CBS News, Hosted by Anne-Marie Green
• Release Date: January 30, 2025

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Overview

In the gripping episode of CBS News' "48 Hours" titled "A Campus Mystery Unraveled," the story of Taylor Beal, a 17-year-old freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), unfolds from her vibrant college life to her mysterious disappearance in 2005. This detailed recount delves into the complexities of the investigation, the emergence of a prime suspect, and the emotional aftermath for Taylor's family and friends.

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Taylor Beal’s Background

Taylor Beal was celebrated by those who knew her as confident, beautiful, and profoundly positive. Glynice Keough, Taylor’s best friend, describes her as someone who "just saw all the good in everyone" and "was never really negative" (01:10). Taylor was eagerly anticipating her freshman year at VCU, embodying the hopes and dreams typical of a young college student.

Her mother, Janet Pelissara, shared the emotional weight of sending her daughter off to college. "I was having migraine headaches, panic attacks, just knowing that she wasn't going to be around," Janet revealed (04:34). Taylor and Janet shared a close bond, often seen holding hands while shopping and exchanging affectionate words.

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The Disappearance

On Labor Day weekend in 2005, Taylor returned to VCU after spending the holiday at home. Excited to resume her studies, she moved into her dormitory, unpacked, and maintained regular contact with her parents, even calling them that evening to assure them she was settling in. However, later that night, Taylor vanished without a trace. Her last known communication was telling her roommate, "I'll be back in three hours," before she left with her keys and did not return (06:41).

The following day, Taylor missed classes, a behavior out of character for her. Her roommate, Emma Ellsworth, reported the absence to VCU campus police, who then notified Janet that both Taylor and her car were missing (07:33).

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Initial Investigation

The Richmond Police Department, led by Captain John Venuti, initiated an extensive search for Taylor. "We know that she left the dormitory and basically she's gone. Her car's gone. The mystery deepens," Venuti explained (02:01). Initially, investigators had little to go on, as there was no evidence of her intended whereabouts or company.

Despite extensive efforts, the search yielded no immediate clues, prompting Janet Pelissara to seek media attention to broaden the search perimeter nationally (08:06). Ten days into the investigation, a breakthrough occurred when Taylor's car was discovered on a quiet residential street near campus, rekindling hopes that she might still be alive (10:34).

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Ben Folley’s Involvement

As the investigation progressed, attention turned to Ben Folley, a 37-year-old former VCU student with a history of assault convictions. Fascinatingly, Folley had met Taylor in February 2005 during a college visit trip with her father, Matt Beale. Initially perceived as charismatic and personable, Folley maintained regular contact with Taylor through emails and subsequent campus visits (15:20).

Folley’s relationship with Taylor was scrutinized when it emerged that he was significantly older than suggested, misleading Taylor and her family about his age and intentions (16:50). Their interactions included intimate encounters, which Taylor later admitted to her friend, Glynice Keough, describing it as a "one-night thing" that she did not wish to repeat (17:34).

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Evidence Against Folley

The pivotal turn in the investigation came when Folley admitted to having sex with Taylor, a relationship that violated age restrictions. This confession provided the necessary lead for police to search his apartment, where they discovered a substantial cache of child pornography (19:07). Folley claimed the materials were left by a previous tenant, a statement investigators found dubious given the severity of the evidence.

Further incriminating evidence surfaced when a bloodhound named "Good Boy" tracked a scent from Taylor's car to Folley's relative's house, leading detectives to confront Folley directly. "The scent picked up by the bloodhound... was the only way," an investigator explained (10:18).

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Erin Crabill’s Contribution

Erin Crabill, another of Taylor's friends, played a crucial role in connecting Folley to the crime scene. Upon reviewing photographs from Folley’s computer, Erin recognized a house depicted in one of the images as being near her parents' home. This connection directed investigators to Matthews County, 90 miles from VCU, where Taylor's remains were eventually found in a shallow grave (22:34).

Crabill recounted, "The officer saw her before I did... We found someone," highlighting the moment when Taylor's body was discovered (24:24). This discovery confirmed the tragic end of Taylor's life, aligning with the evidence pointing to Folley’s involvement.

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Folly’s Confession and Trial

During questioning, Folley portrayed the incident as consensual, describing it as an experiment in "erotic asphyxiation," a sex game aimed at achieving the "ultimate orgasm" by restricting breathing (27:26). However, prosecutors contested this narrative, emphasizing inconsistencies in Folley’s story and the absence of evidence supporting Taylor’s purported interest in such practices.

Ben Folley stated, "I definitely did not murder Taylor. Am I the direct cause of her death? I very well could be. But am I guilty of murder? No" (31:12), attempting to distance himself from culpability. Despite his claims, the prosecution built a strong case illustrating deliberate actions leading to Taylor's death.

Prosecutors Jack Gill and Chris Bullard argued that Folley’s actions went beyond consensual experimentation, presenting them as premeditated violence. "The evidence shows that Mr. Foley killed her," one prosecutor asserted (31:41).

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The Plea Deal

Facing mounting evidence and incriminating statements, Folley found himself cornered into accepting a plea deal. Initially poised to face life in prison, the discovery of a jailhouse letter and Folley’s own admissions pressured him into negotiating terms. He ultimately agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder, with child pornography charges being dropped, resulting in a 30-year sentence (41:13).

Folly reflected on the plea deal, stating, "It's a big chess game, and I just made a huge move. Let's see what they do," indicating his realization of losing control over the trial's outcome (39:31).

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Aftermath and Janet Pelissara’s Reflection

The trial and conviction brought little solace to Taylor's family. Janet Pelissara expressed enduring grief, sharing that "it's something that you think of every single day of your life" (42:10). Despite the legal closure, the emotional trauma persisted, leading Janet to pen a book titled Love You More, encapsulating the irreplaceable loss and the lingering pain of her daughter's untimely death (42:58).

Janet emphasized Taylor's lost potential, mourning, "She was so excited about the future, the list of things that she wanted to do and who she wanted to be. And she would have succeeded" (43:18). The family's continued struggle with grief underscores the profound impact of Taylor's disappearance and demise.

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Conclusion

"A Campus Mystery Unraveled" presents a poignant and thorough examination of Taylor Beal's disappearance and the ensuing investigation that led to Ben Folley’s conviction. Through detailed accounts, emotional testimonies, and critical analysis of the evidence, the episode underscores the complexities of crime and justice, highlighting the enduring ramifications for victims' families and the pursuit of truth within the legal system.

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Notable Quotes:

• Glynice Keough (Taylor’s Best Friend): "She was never really negative. She would just make sure that you felt comfortable and that you knew you were loved." (01:10)

• Janet Pelissara (Taylor’s Mother): "I was having migraine headaches, panic attacks, just knowing that she wasn't going to be around." (04:34)

• Erin Crabill (Taylor’s Friend): "She was a teenage girl, but she was still a responsible teenage girl." (07:55)

• Ben Folley (Suspect): "I thought I could, yeah." (29:43)

• Janet Pelissara: "It's just very, very heartbreaking and sad to have to keep going on without her." (42:48)

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Timecodes Reference:

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• Times in brackets (e.g., [01:10]) correspond to the minutes and seconds in the provided transcript where the quoted statements appear.

Transcript

[Advertiser]

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[Glynice Keough]

Taylor was a very self confident, beautiful person. She just saw all the good in everyone. She was never really negative. She would just make sure that you felt comfortable and that you knew you were loved. My name is Glynice Keough and I'm Taylor Beal's best friend. In the fall of 2005, Taylor was very excited about going to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

[Janet Pelissara]

I did worry. She hadn't even turned 18 yet. And I'm Janet Pellicera and I'm Taylor's mother. I kissed her goodbye and she got in her car and off she went.

[Glynice Keough]

She didn't call me that night, which is weird to me. I was scared, you know, why isn't she turning up? Did she run.

[Narrator]

In the initial stages when she was first reported missing, we didn't have a whole lot to go on. My name is John Venuti. I'm a captain with the Richmond Police Department. We know that she left the dormitory and basically she's gone. Her car's gone. The mystery deepens. A missing Virginia Commonwealth freshman. 17 year old Taylor Beal seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.

[Janet Pelissara]

Where would she go? Who would she go with? She wouldn't skip schooled the second week of school.

[Narrator]

We actually wanted to find out what she did, where she went, who she hung around with, who her friends were.

[Glynice Keough]

One day we were like talking and she was like, I have a secret to tell you. There was this man and he's showing a lot of attention to me. I mean, I know it's wrong, but don't tell anyone.

[Erin Crabill]

He was a wolf in sheep's clothing. There was no way to know. My name is Erin Cravel. I was a student when Taylor disappeared. I think that she was just a normal college girl and got mixed up with the wrong person.

[Narrator]

Taylor Beale is just an interesting girl. On one hand you've got this very bright, very bubbly, very personable college student. And then on the other hand, you have this young lady that is very amorous and very flirtatious towards older men.

[Glynice Keough]

They were saying that Taylor was very into bondage.

[Erin Crabill]

I knew that she was not into this weird, creepy sex.

[Glynice Keough]

She never would have done any of that. That wasn't who she was.

[Narrator]

About 30 days into the investigation, Aaron Crabill gave us some really significant information that would wind up busting the case wide open.

[Erin Crabill]

This is Taylor, this is my friend, and I will do what I can.

[Advertiser]

Searching for secrets America's patchwork quilt oh, you got me so wrapped up. Fly, fly, fly, fly. For 17 year old Taylor Beal of Vienna, Virginia, happiness was sipping cappuccino and listening to live music at her favorite neighborhood coffee shop. But On Labor Day 2005, having spent the long weekend at home, all Taylor wanted was to get back to her freshman year of college.

[Janet Pelissara]

She was so excited. She had met tons of people and she liked her roommate and her suite mates.

[Advertiser]

Virginia Commonwealth University, known as vcu, was only two hours away in Richmond, but too far away for Taylor's mother, Janet Pelissara.

[Janet Pelissara]

I was having migraine headaches, panic attacks, just knowing that she wasn't going to be around. This is the first picture of the two of us.

[Advertiser]

Taylor is Janet's only child.

[Janet Pelissara]

It was the happiest day of my life and I just squished her every chance I got.

[Advertiser]

The two were inseparable.

[Janet Pelissara]

When we would go shopping, it was nothing for us to hold hands, even as a teenager or lock arms or arms around each other. And she had no problem with that.

[Narrator]

She was a very kind girl. She was always concerned about other people.

[Advertiser]

Matt Beale, Taylor's dad, and Janet divorced when Taylor was almost 2. But they shared a profound love for their daughter.

[Narrator]

She didn't have a wide circle of friends, but those that really knew Taylor really liked her.

[Advertiser]

When I say the name Taylor Beal, what first comes to mind?

[Glynice Keough]

Her smile, actually.

[Advertiser]

Taylor's best friend, Glynis Keough.

[Glynice Keough]

She would always stand up for her friends and you could turn to her for anything. Like she would always be there.

[Advertiser]

So on that Labor Day weekend, Noem wanted to see Taylor leave. As she headed back to VCU and.

[Narrator]

The last memory is giving her a hug and a kiss. I'm telling her I loved her.

[Advertiser]

A few hours later, Taylor arrived here in Richmond at her college dorm. She unpacked, chatted with a few friends, and then called both of her parents to let them know she was okay. But later that night, Taylor Beal disappeared.

[Glynice Keough]

She came in, picked up her keys, and left.

[Advertiser]

And she said she would be back in three hours. Those were the last words Taylor said to her roommate, Emma Ellsworth. When did you really become worried about her?

[Glynice Keough]

The next night when we realized she.

[Advertiser]

Hadn'T been back for a day. Her books were still there.

[Glynice Keough]

She hadn't gone to any of her.

[Narrator]

Classes, which was odd.

[Advertiser]

Emma notified the VCU campus police, who told Janet that both her daughter and her car were missing.

[Janet Pelissara]

I paced around the house thinking, okay, do I panic?

[Advertiser]

Did you try calling her on her cell phone?

[Janet Pelissara]

Yes. No answer.

[Advertiser]

VCU police questioned friends and acquaintances. Could Taylor have simply wandered off?

[Erin Crabill]

She was a teenage girl, but she was still a responsible teenage girl.

[Advertiser]

Taylor's VCU friend, Erin Crabill.

[Erin Crabill]

She wasn't the kind of person who would just go, hey, that motorcycle guy looks cool. I'm going to go drive off down the block with him.

[Advertiser]

A desperate mother turned to the press to get the story out. The search for Taylor went nationwide. Police in Richmond, Virginia, say there's still no sign of a college freshman.

[Janet Pelissara]

Somebody had to have seen her. Someone had to have seen her car.

[Glynice Keough]

Hope became less and less. I kept telling everyone around me, you know, it's going to be ok. She's going to come back alive.

[Advertiser]

Ten days after Taylor's disappearance, VCU turned the case over to the Richmond police. Chief. Rodney Monroe organized a task force made up of University, state and federal investigators.

[Narrator]

Task force was mainly created just so.

[Advertiser]

That we could handle the volume of.

[Narrator]

Information that had to be processed. Let me hit you back.

[Advertiser]

Richmond police Captain John Venuti.

[Narrator]

Everyone had one objective, and that was for the task force to find Taylor Beal.

[Advertiser]

Investigator Les Lozier of the Virginia Attorney General's office feared the worst.

[Narrator]

We had no cell phone activity. We had no charge card activity. None of those things that would show that she's out and about. Where do you start? You start with your victim. Everyone your victim knows every place your victim's been. And that's what was our starting point.

[Advertiser]

Ben Folley was one of the last people to have seen Taylor the night she disappeared. What happened when Taylor came over?

[Ben Folley]

Well, she was upset because she had been dumped online by her official boyfriend.

[Advertiser]

But when police interviewed the boyfriend, Jacob Cunningham, they learned that he and Taylor had dinner that night and had made up.

[Narrator]

We were on good terms.

[Ben Folley]

We left holding hands.

[Advertiser]

Richmond police detective Jason Hudson.

[Narrator]

Once you talk to Jacob, he's a very nice young man. We narrowed his timeline to where we felt comfortable excluding him from any person of interest.

[Advertiser]

After dinner, Taylor told Jacob she was planning on going skateboarding. Could you find anybody? She had made plans to go skateboarding.

[Narrator]

Not for that night. Not for that night.

[Advertiser]

This is the last sighting of Taylor the night she disappeared, captured on campus surveillance video at 10:24pm.

[Narrator]

This video represents the last time that we know for certain that Taylor was alive.

[Advertiser]

12 excruciating days pass and finally a break. Taylor's car is found on a quiet residential street not far from campus. Did that give you hope?

[Janet Pelissara]

Yes, it did give me hope that she was still alive.

[Narrator]

At least we found the car. Now maybe in that vicinity we may find Taylor.

[Ben Folley]

Good boy.

[Narrator]

Work hard work.

[Advertiser]

Detectives showed us how the bloodhound they called in Good boy picked up a scent around the car. That scent led them to a home five blocks away. Where did that scent ultimately take you?

[Narrator]

It took us to Jesse Schultz.

[Advertiser]

So who's Jesse Schultz?

[Narrator]

Jesse Schultz was pretty much an average young guy. He wasn't affiliated or enrolled in vcu, but I guess he would go down to the VCU area to meet girls.

[Advertiser]

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[Janet Pelissara]

Did someone have her in their basement? Was she being held hostage? Whoever has her just let her walk away. Just let her go.

[Advertiser]

Task force members Les Loesier, Jason Hudson and John Venuti worked around the clock searching for clues.

[Narrator]

The momentum was just, I mean, it was incredible.

[Advertiser]

And how would you describe that momentum?

[Narrator]

Like a runaway train.

[Advertiser]

A train coming straight at 23 year old Jesse Schultz. Why would the police who are looking for Taylor Beal come to you?

[Narrator]

It had to have stemmed from the dog. I mean there's. That's the only way.

[Advertiser]

Good boy. A bloodhound led police from Taylor Beal's car to Shultz's relative's house. Investigators searched the house, but came up empty until they asked one last question.

[Narrator]

On leaving, they asked my uncle who was the last person to visit here. They're like, probably our nephew Jesse.

[Advertiser]

So detectives brought Jesse in, questioning him for several hours. Later, they asked him to take a polygraph. And how did he do on that polygraph?

[Narrator]

The results from the polygraph indicated deception. Frankly, I told them they were effing crazy.

[Advertiser]

Did you know Taylor Beale?

[Narrator]

No.

[Advertiser]

Had you ever met Taylor Beale?

[Narrator]

Not to my knowledge, no.

[Advertiser]

As days passed, Jesse Schulz's story began to ring true.

[Narrator]

Do I think Jesse had anything to do with Taylor's disappearance? No.

[Advertiser]

As for the scent picked up by.

[Narrator]

The bloodhound, to this day it still remains a big question mark.

[Advertiser]

Just as Jesse Shoultz was being cleared, police were taking another look at Ben Foley, one of the last people to have seen Taylor before she disappeared.

[Ben Folley]

First sticker was on the original bumper and the original bumper's not there anymore, but the original stickers were these Team GT stickers.

[Advertiser]

Ben Folly was known around campus for his colorful hair and his equally colorful van. A van so distinctive it was featured on local television.

[Erin Crabill]

I've seen it all over Richmond and.

[Glynice Keough]

I think it's very interesting.

[Ben Folley]

I do that to almost all my vehicles. I've had a 66 Dodge Dart that was.

[Advertiser]

Folly had been a suspect almost from the very beginning.

[Narrator]

His story had lots of holes in it. He left a gigantic gap in the timeline. We knew he was affiliated with Taylor, so he was a good suspect.

[Advertiser]

Folly first met Taylor in February 2005 when she and her father Matt visited colleges and checked out the VCU campus. A very different looking Folly talked with us about the encounter. What was your first impression of Taylor?

[Ben Folley]

A very beautiful, very attractive young lady with her dad at the door.

[Advertiser]

Taylor planned on staying over with a friend Already enrolled at the university, Folly was the friend's roommate.

[Ben Folley]

We had a lot in common. We had very similar opinions about things. We spent the entire time talking about everything.

[Advertiser]

Taylor's dad, Matt, spoke with Folly before leaving Taylor for the night. Did you have hesitation leaving Taylor with really a stranger?

[Narrator]

No, because Taylor was comfortable. He was very friendly, very personable, you know, dressed a little differently, but appropriately for what you would think you would see on a college campus.

[Advertiser]

What Matt didn't know was that Ben Folley was no longer a student at VCU. Even more alarming, Folly was 37 years old. How old did you think he was?

[Narrator]

Mid 20s at best.

[Advertiser]

And he didn't volunteer that he was much older than that?

[Narrator]

No, not at all.

[Advertiser]

Back home, while still in high school, Taylor continued communicating with Folly by email. And when she visited the campus again, this time on her own, she again saw Folly.

[Ben Folley]

She liked the fact that I respect her opinion and that I didn't treat her like a child.

[Advertiser]

Folly, an amateur photographer, took this series of pictures during one of Taylor's visits.

[Glynice Keough]

Mostly it was just him shouting her with attention. She never thought of him seriously. It was never, I want to date him. It was more like intriguing.

[Advertiser]

But at one point, Taylor shared with her best friend Glynis Keough that she and Folly had been intimate.

[Glynice Keough]

It was a one night thing. She didn't regret it, but she didn't want to do it again.

[Advertiser]

Erin Crabel, another of Taylor's VCU friends, understands how Taylor could be drawn to folly. The 24 year old once dated him. What attracted you to him?

[Erin Crabill]

You were the only person in the world. All of his attention was on you. And he had all these crazy stories. He would steal cars and break the law. But he was reformed.

[Advertiser]

He was your bad boy.

[Erin Crabill]

He was the ex bad boy.

[Advertiser]

But Aaron ended her relationship with Folly almost as soon as it began.

[Erin Crabill]

He became very jealous. And then the thing that caused me to end it was he broke into my apartment in the middle of the.

[Advertiser]

Night with what Aaron says were evil intentions. What was actually in Ben's hands? What did Ben have?

[Erin Crabill]

Mace and a hammer. I felt like I don't know what this man is capable of.

[Advertiser]

Neither did task force detectives who continued questioning Folley about Taylor's disappearance. As they delved deeper into his past, they discovered a disturbing pattern.

[Narrator]

We found that there were other young girls who had been in contact with him over the years and had been assaulted or had been threatened or felt threatened by him.

[Advertiser]

In fact, Folley was convicted of assaulting one former girlfriend in 2003.

[Narrator]

At that point in time, for all of us, you know, Folly's starting to look like he's the guy.

[Advertiser]

But the task force needed evidence linking Ben Folley to Taylor's disappearance. Under questioning, the only thing Folley would admit to was was having sex with Taylor. But Taylor was a minor, and that violation gave detectives what they needed to search Folly's apartment. What they found here disturbed even the most experienced investigators a massive amount of child pornography. And when you say child pornography, how graphic was it?

[Narrator]

Extremely graphic. These are images, movie images of children as young as three and four being brought brutally raped.

[Ben Folley]

None of the pornography that was in that apartment was mine.

[Advertiser]

Folley claimed it had been left behind by the previous tenant. Still, possessing child pornography is a felony.

[Narrator]

Open the door, Ben.

[Advertiser]

The police immediately arrested him.

[Narrator]

That was the vehicle that was used to put Ben Foley in jail so that we would have the time to find Taylor and eventually put all the pieces together.

[Advertiser]

But the search of Folly's computers yielded an unusual clue that led investigators to an unlikely crime solver.

[Narrator]

Whoa.

[Erin Crabill]

I just got chills.

[Narrator]

Now streaming Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh takes command.

[Ben Folley]

Gather your people.

[Narrator]

We're gonna need every one of. In Section 31, a new Star Trek original movie on Paramount.

[Ben Folley]

Section 31 is just a place for people to bend the rules.

[Erin Crabill]

Starfleet is here to make sure no one commits Mecca.

[Ben Folley]

What a cute idea. This is chaos. Let's get messy.

[Narrator]

Don't miss Star Trek. Section 31. Now streaming exclusively on Paramount.

[Advertiser]

Ben Folly, now 38, was in in jail under arrest for the child pornography police had found on one of his six computers.

[Narrator]

That was really only the beginning.

[Advertiser]

For Detective Jeffrey Dean, revelations about Folly began with the sheer volume of data he'd stored away.

[Narrator]

It was just an amazing amount of material. One computer had, I believe, five hard drives in it.

[Advertiser]

In an endless variety of random photos. Abandoned buildings, secluded locations, maps and weapons. The truly bizarre. Along with photos of Taylor, investigators sensed a jigsaw puzzle of evidence.

[Narrator]

The job is to put the puzzle together.

[Advertiser]

Ben Folley was now a prime suspect in the disappearance of Taylor Beal. And police were looking for someone who could link the talented student to the temperamental college dropout. Erin Crabill. Would be that someone.

[Erin Crabill]

Taylor's missing. And I know Ben and I know Taylor and I want to talk about it.

[Advertiser]

Erin, as a one time girlfriend of Folly's, soon figured out just what the police were beginning to conclude.

[Erin Crabill]

I realized they were looking for someone who was dead. They weren't looking for for live Taylor anymore. And then they started showing me photographs that had been pulled off his computer. And they said, do you recognize this one? The one that you've got in your hands?

[Advertiser]

So when they showed you this and it says home sweet home, what was your reaction when you saw this picture?

[Erin Crabill]

I said, oh, that's right next to my parents house.

[Advertiser]

And how did the detectives react when you said that?

[Erin Crabill]

They said, oh, I just got chills and I got goosebumps. And he said, that place is going to be important. We need to go there.

[Advertiser]

After Erin Cravel told two VCU cops how she had once taken Ben Folley to this house in the photo, it was pure police instinct that led them to rural Virginia's Matthews County, 90 miles from Virginia Commonwealth University. Still, Aaron wasn't sure what, if anything, police would find.

[Erin Crabill]

I'm thinking, God, I feel so bad, I'm wasting their time. They could be doing other things. They could be doing something important.

[Advertiser]

It was a month since Taylor Beale had disappeared. Aaron Crabill led the way.

[Erin Crabill]

First officer said, do you smell something? I said, yeah, it smelled like the end of something. The officer saw her before I did. He said, we found someone.

[Narrator]

Shallow grave and with, you know, remains strewn about, that's pretty much that. That's what it was.

[Erin Crabill]

I didn't want to believe that it was her. I didn't want to think that she was gone because I knew that if she was dead, that Ben had killed her.

[Advertiser]

It was not just the news of her daughter's death that hit Janet Pelissara so hard, but how Taylor died.

[Janet Pelissara]

For him to leave her in a shallow grave, a ravine, to be eaten by animals, by insects. She was a skeleton. That's what was left of my baby because of him.

[Ben Folley]

I didn't murder anybody. But you know, that's what everyone expects me to say.

[Advertiser]

That's what Ben Foley told the police in a rambling statement. He adamantly denied killing Taylor Beal, but he did admit he was with Taylor the night she died.

[Ben Folley]

It's not like we were hiding.

[Advertiser]

But that would be virtually the only part of his story.

[Ben Folley]

My concept of time is a little wax.

[Advertiser]

That would be clear.

[Ben Folley]

No, that was something else or straightforward. I was very drunk and very high and I don't know why Taylor died.

[Advertiser]

Folley claims that everything about that evening was consensual.

[Ben Folley]

She asked me to wait for her. I waited for her.

[Advertiser]

Starting with his. Picking up Taylor at her college dorm. Police discovered folly on the college security videotape waiting just outside Taylor's dorm at 10:21pm minutes later is when the same camera captures Taylor leaving. Folly says they ended up at his apartment. He started drinking and she started egging him on. How much had you been drinking?

[Ben Folley]

It was a bit.

[Advertiser]

Narcotics?

[Ben Folley]

Yeah.

[Advertiser]

A daring teenager out for a thrill. That's how Ben Foley tells the tale. And he adds, there was much more that Taylor Beal wanted to do. So they drove her car out towards Matthews county and started to play a different, far deadlier game.

[Ben Folley]

She wanted to try an activity.

[Advertiser]

What kind of activity?

[Ben Folley]

She was calling it drunk monkey I think was the term.

[Advertiser]

Ultimately, this is how 38 year old petty thief Ben Foley claims 17 year old college freshman Taylor Beal died at her own game. A sex game known as erotic asphyxia.

[Ben Folley]

It's where you pass out during sex.

[Advertiser]

And she's the one who came up with this idea.

[Ben Folley]

I had never heard of it before.

[Advertiser]

You had never heard of erotic asphyxia?

[Ben Folley]

Never.

[Advertiser]

We only have your word for this.

[Ben Folley]

I'm aware of that.

[Advertiser]

We only have your word for that.

[Ben Folley]

And I'm aware of that.

[Advertiser]

And what are you saying that Taylor wanted you to do that night?

[Ben Folley]

She wanted to pass out during sex.

[Advertiser]

For what purpose?

[Ben Folley]

The ultimate orgasm.

[Advertiser]

So Folley claims, at her urging, during sex, in the backseat of her car, he tried various ways to restrict Taylor Beal's breathing.

[Ben Folley]

She wanted me to put a bag over her head.

[Advertiser]

Is that what you did?

[Ben Folley]

Um, we tried that several times.

[Advertiser]

What do you do with it then?

[Ben Folley]

I held it over her nose and her mouth.

[Advertiser]

For how long?

[Ben Folley]

I don't know.

[Advertiser]

And what happened?

[Ben Folley]

At first I thought she was laughing. Cause we fell off the seat. We'd fallen off the seat several times this night. I thought everything was fine and dandy.

[Advertiser]

Was she talking to you?

[Ben Folley]

But she was passed out. And that's what she wanted.

[Advertiser]

Then he claims unable to wake Taylor up, he froze into a stone cold panic. Why didn't you call for help?

[Ben Folley]

I thought about it.

[Advertiser]

Did you try calling 911?

[Ben Folley]

I thought about it.

[Advertiser]

And why didn't you?

[Ben Folley]

Because by the time I tried to wake her up, what was running through my head was I'm in some serious here.

[Advertiser]

You might have been able to save her.

[Ben Folley]

I might have. I don't know.

[Advertiser]

And no one ever will. Because Ben Folley then claims he panicked again. That he drove the body of Taylor Beal back to Richmond, left her in her car, went to sleep, and then a day later returned to Matthews county, dug a shallow grave and left the once vibrant girl by the side of the road. By the time her body was discovered a month later, it was impossible to tell exactly how Taylor Beale died. You thought you could get away with it?

[Ben Folley]

I thought I could, yeah.

[Advertiser]

Ben Folley was charged with first degree murder, but he may not be the only one who is on trial.

[Narrator]

It's almost like you're dealing with two different people when you talk about Taylor Beal.

[Advertiser]

One day after what should have been a celebration of Taylor Beal's 18th birthday, family and friends were instead mourning Taylor's death.

[Janet Pelissara]

The service was beautiful and touching, short and sweet, just like Taylor's life.

[Advertiser]

On that wet, gray October day, Janet Pelissaro was filled with grief and rage for the man believed to have murdered her daughter.

[Janet Pelissara]

My prayer is for the courts see fit.

[Advertiser]

To give him the death penalty.

[Janet Pelissara]

So he may continue his downward spiral into the depths of hell.

[Advertiser]

But Ben Folley claims that Taylor's death was an accident, the result of a. That went horribly wrong.

[Ben Folley]

I definitely did not murder Taylor. Am I the direct cause of her death? I very well could be. But am I guilty of murder? No.

[Advertiser]

Prosecutors Jack Gill and Chris Bullard disagree.

[Narrator]

And this predator descends upon her, selects her, picks her out and kills her.

[Advertiser]

You know, he says that Taylor Beale's death was an accident. I mean, isn't it possible it was?

[Narrator]

It's possible a meteor landed on Taylor Beale. Is it probable? No. The evidence shows that Mr. Foley killed her.

[Advertiser]

The prosecution's theory. Foley took Taylor for a drive to a secluded area to have sex. When Taylor rejected him, an angry folly strangled her.

[Narrator]

It's unlikely, to the point of being almost impossible that she was interested in anything to do with sex or kinky sex with this guy.

[Advertiser]

Prosecutors point out that in Folley's own statement to police, he admits he flipped out and told Taylor to shut up.

[Narrator]

He says he thinks he put his hand over her mouth and told her to shut up. That's. I'm angry.

[Ben Folley]

Taylor and I were not mad at each other. She was not rejecting me. She was not telling me it was over. There was nothing for there to be over between us.

[Advertiser]

Prosecutors also say Folley duct taped Taylor's wrists, not as part of a sex act, but to restrain her.

[Narrator]

There was duct tape on the cuff, on the outside of the jacket. Now, that's not erotic asphyxiation, bondage, or any kind of sex that any of the textbooks that I've looked at have.

[Advertiser]

What is that to you?

[Narrator]

That's not consensual.

[Advertiser]

Her hands, according to your own statement, were tied behind her back.

[Ben Folley]

I know at one point they were.

[Advertiser]

Isn't that more consistent with an abduction than a sexual.

[Ben Folley]

I did not abduct Taylor. It was two people consenting.

[Advertiser]

In his statement recorded by police, Foley insists the duct tape was simply part of the game.

[Ben Folley]

She wanted to feel like I was kidnapping her, make her feel like she was being kidnapped.

[Narrator]

Tie her up.

[Ben Folley]

And she said, really tie her up.

[Advertiser]

Do you think the jury is going to believe that this 17 year old girl came up with this idea?

[Ben Folley]

I think if people are honest, you don't realize what people are doing until a tragedy like this happens.

[Narrator]

She's a sweet young college girl who was experimenting with sex and who knows what else. And unfortunately it led to her death.

[Advertiser]

Attorneys Chris Collins and Bill Johnson are defending Ben Folly. How would Taylor Beale have any kind of knowledge about this bondage or any of these sexual practices?

[Narrator]

Folly showed it. He had a computer that was filled with pictures of young ladies involved in various bondage poses.

[Advertiser]

And at trial, the defense plans to show that Taylor wasn't a naive college freshman.

[Narrator]

Taylor was very aware that these models were involved in the bondage industry. I think that may have perked her fascination.

[Advertiser]

It sounds as if in order to save Ben Foley from a long time in prison, you're going to really have to put the blame on Taylor Beal, the victim here.

[Narrator]

Not going to put any blame on her, no. But we're certainly going to incorporate her activity and I think that's fair.

[Advertiser]

Not according to Taylor's best friend and confidant. Glynis Keough says the defense theory is simply ridiculous.

[Glynice Keough]

I know for a fact that Taylor would have never done that. She would have never been into bondage. She was not a sexually experienced person.

[Advertiser]

Did she ever talk about being interested in bondage?

[Glynice Keough]

No, never. According to 17 year old standards, she was a prude.

[Advertiser]

In fact, prosecutor Chris Bullard says he was unable to find any evidence other than Ben Foley's word that Taylor had any interest in bondage and risky sex acts.

[Narrator]

There's no computer evidence to show that she was visiting websites about erotic asphyxiation. We're confident that that was not what she was into.

[Advertiser]

What's more, prosecutors say they can prove that Ben Foley is lying about how Taylor died that night by reenacting Folley's story. Richmond police showed us what they learned. I'm Officer Sarah Powell. I was portraying Jason McClung with the.

[Narrator]

Richmond Police Department and I portrayed Ben Foley.

[Advertiser]

The two young Richmond police officers are the same size as Taylor and Folley. And the car, an exact replica we.

[Narrator]

Did it as accurately as possible as it was told to me by Ben Folley.

[Advertiser]

Detective Jason Hudson read from Folley's own statement as a script.

[Narrator]

I was half off, half on the seat. Her head was against the door and she was bent sideways.

[Advertiser]

And this is Folly's voice.

[Ben Folley]

I was looking at the side of her. Her front was facing the front of the car. She was on top of me. Her bottom was right on. Her hips were right on top of me.

[Narrator]

And I remember hooking my arm in her arm and grabbing her by the.

[Ben Folley]

Hip and pulling her up onto the seat.

[Narrator]

Is that hard? Yeah, pretty hard.

[Advertiser]

The obvious takeaway, say the officers.

[Narrator]

Someone could not get any kind of enjoyment out of this.

[Advertiser]

Well, I've only been here a few.

[Erin Crabill]

Minutes and already half of my body is completely numb.

[Advertiser]

So I know that any teenage girl.

[Erin Crabill]

Wouldn'T settle for this too long.

[Advertiser]

As for Detective Hudson, well, it tells.

[Narrator]

You it didn't happen the way that he said it did.

[Advertiser]

But will this be enough to prove that Folly intended to kill Taylor? Or as the defense is Counting on, will 12 jurors have their own doubts about the victim herself?

[Narrator]

Rural jurors expect men to act like gentlemen, and they expect young women to act like ladies. That mindset, we believe, certainly played into our favor.

[Advertiser]

And Matthews county is as rural and conservative as it gets.

[Narrator]

January on 1140 WRVA.

[Advertiser]

It was almost like she was asking for it. The quiet conservative community of Matthews County, Virginia, was bracing for a sensational trial in the death of Taylor Beal.

[Narrator]

For Matthews County. It's huge. It has no pier. God knows how many people are gonna be there for the trial. It's a real, real, real big event.

[Advertiser]

Everyone seemed to know about the 17 year old college freshman abandoned by the side of a country road.

[Narrator]

To think that she was discarded in the woods the same way that you might throw a piece of paper out of your car window. It makes me sick.

[Advertiser]

Janet fears the trial will force her to confront the horror of what happened to her child. What scares you the most about this trial coming up?

[Janet Pelissara]

Hearing lies, but mostly is being exposed to the photos of Taylor in that ravine. I don't want to see those pictures.

[Advertiser]

The trial seemed set to begin when suddenly defense attorneys learned about a startling statement made by Ben Foley from behind bars. Even from the isolation of his cell, Foley managed to do what he had done all his life.

[Ben Folley]

I am king at putting my foot in my mouth.

[Advertiser]

In a flip jailhouse conversation with an officer, Foley described his previous statement to police as nothing more than a cynical strategy. To beat the system, leaving the impression his story about erotic is asphyxia was completely made up. It put his lawyers in a very awkward position.

[Narrator]

He went back to his cell and immediately said to one of the deputies, it's a big chess game, and I just made a huge move. Let's see what they do. That's pretty devastating stuff.

[Advertiser]

And then there was this jailhouse letter penned to an ex girlfriend.

[Narrator]

I can't quote it verbatim, but it simply said that I am the reason why Taylor is dead. I deserve to be in prison.

[Advertiser]

Prosecutor Chris Bullard plans to use that letter against him in court.

[Narrator]

People are right. Something is wrong with me. All the thoughts of death and killing in my head, and now it's true. I've killed.

[Advertiser]

The letter, coupled with his description of the proceedings against him as nothing more than a chess game, left Ben Foley with few options.

[Narrator]

All rise. He knew he was in a box. I'm advised there's an agreement in this case. That's correct, Judge.

[Advertiser]

Trapped by his own boastful words, Ben Folley could only manage a whisper as he agreed to a plea deal.

[Narrator]

Mr. Foley, your plea is guilty. Is that correct?

[Ben Folley]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Was it your decision?

[Ben Folley]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Say it again. You're gonna need to speak up, Mr. Foley. He can't understand.

[Advertiser]

Yes, the deal. Second degree murder and the child pornography charges dropped instead of life in prison. Thirty years, which Foley's lawyers thought was a pretty good deal for him. If this is a big chess game, did you win or lose?

[Narrator]

It gets pretty close to a tie, I think. I agree. I think things could have gone far worse for Mr. Folley. I think he may have come out on a little bit better end of the stick, all things considered. Mr. Folley, before sentence is formally pronounced, is there anything you would like to say? No.

[Advertiser]

But Taylor's mother, Janet, had something to say.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Advertiser]

To her daughter's killer, Taylor.

[Janet Pelissara]

After the trial, once he was put away, I thought there would be some relief, but it hasn't really made a difference.

[Narrator]

It's something that you think of every single day of your life.

[Advertiser]

You really miss her, don't you, Matt?

[Janet Pelissara]

It's just very, very heartbreaking and sad to have to keep going on without her.

[Advertiser]

But Janet Pelissara has vowed to keep going. She's written a book, love you more.

[Janet Pelissara]

And this is what she left me when she went off to school. It says, I love you more.

[Advertiser]

That special little phrase she and Taylor always ended their conversations with.

[Janet Pelissara]

It's about her, about what he took from her. She was so excited about the future, the list of things that she wanted to do and who she wanted to be. And she would have succeeded. She would have been all those things.

[Narrator]

Streaming on Paramount. Everyone who comes into this clinic is a mystery. We don't know what we're looking. Looking for. Their bodies are the scene of the crime. Their symptoms and history are clues.

[Advertiser]

You saved her life.

[Narrator]

We're doctors, and we're detectives.

[Advertiser]

I kind of love it, if I'm being honest.

[Narrator]

Solve the puzzle, save the patient. Morris Chestnut is Watson. Now streaming on Paramount plus and new episodes return Sunday, February 16th on C.