Benny Saylor
Death Sentence Overturned

Benny Lee Saylor, also of Anderson Indiana, was indicted on charges of capital murder, robbery
and confinement in this case. At Benny's June 23rd, 1992 probable cause hearing the State was
seeking the Court's permission to charge him with capital murder, robbery and confinement.
 
Captain Thompson testified that police officers had talked to an eye witness to the crime.
This "eye witness" was Frederick (Butch) van Horn (III). Butch had spent the evening with Benny
drinking alcohol and doing various drugs including LSD, Xanax and marijuana. Butch Van Horn
gave the police three different statements, one of which was video taped.
In them, he acknowledged his presence outside the laundromat the night Judith van Duyn was murdered.

This contradicted other testimony throughout the case where van Horn claimed to have been
 at his home during the time the crime had been committed. The inconsistencies do not stop there.
Other witnesses who once supported Butch van Horn's alibi have now admitted their testimonies
were lies given out of fear of what would happen to them if they did not provide Butch an alibi.

There was no forensic evidence linking Benny Saylor to the murder of Judith van Duyn. There are over
93 exhibits in this case. There was trace evidence taken from the victim and the victim's van. There were
hairs taken off the victim's body and submitted to the foremost experts in the world for comparison.
 
There were hair and blood samples taken from Mr. Saylor, as well as fingernail scrapings. Clothing samples
were also taken. This evidence was submitted to the foremost forensic experts in the world for comparison.
 
Had Benny Saylor truly committed this horrific murder, both he and the victim would have been covered in
trace evidence exchanged during the violent attack, and Benny would have been covered in the victim's blood.
 
Careful examination of the forensic evidence by the experts revealed that none of the fibers, blood, or
scrapings matched Benny Saylor's samples, and Benny's clothes were not covered in blood.

In spite of there being no DNA or fiber evidence and no eye witnesses to link Benny to the murder of Judith van
Duyn, he was still convicted. A jury recommended against the death penalty, however Madison Superior Court
Judge Thomas Newman overrode the jury's recommendation of a life sentence and sentenced Benny to death.
 
Benny has been on death row in Michigan City, Indiana since June of 1994.

(ORIGINAL PEN PAL REQUEST FROM DEATH ROW)

   I'm a 32 year old white male, blue eyes and brown hair. 
Seeking friendship; will respond to all that reply. 

I've been on Death row since 1994. 
I was convicted of murder and robbery and was sentenced to death. 
The jury voted against the death penalty, but unfortunately the judge didn't agree,
and gave me a death sentence anyway. 

I spend most of my time drawing, reading, and exercising.
I love a wide variety of music, from Garth Brooks to Jewel.
I would love to correspond with a sincere, openminded individual with a good sense of humour.
If you think that could be you, I'd love to hear from you.

I would be very grateful if anyone could send any educational books,
magazines, or any kind of literature.

Benny Saylor 894793
I-416-E
PO Box 41
Michigan City, Indiana
USA  46361

Custom Search

            

The CCADP has offered free webspace to over 1000 Death Row Prisoners Since 1998

"The Eyes Of The World Are Watching Now"

---

Last updated December 28, 2010  Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
This page is maintained and updated by Dave Parkinson and Tracy Lamourie