DE - Susan Ledyard, 50, found dead in river (suspected homicide), Wilmington, 23 July 2019

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Report this evening from WHYY and reporting by reporter Cris Barrish who has been covering this case:

Ben Ledyard gets 2 years in prison for brutalizing third wife as second wife’s murder remains unsolved

Victim Stephanie Ledyard begged the court to give her husband probation, but the judge said pictures of her New Year’s Day beating looked like “autopsy photos.”

whyy.org

Now one hopes that the case of Susan Ledyard might be further investigated and prosecuted as needed.

 

[azure]

Report this evening from WHYY and reporting by reporter Cris Barrish who has been covering this case:

Ben Ledyard gets 2 years in prison for brutalizing third wife as second wife’s murder remains unsolved

Victim Stephanie Ledyard begged the court to give her husband probation, but the judge said pictures of her New Year’s Day beating looked like “autopsy photos.”

whyy.org

Now one hopes that the case of Susan Ledyard might be further investigated and prosecuted as needed.

I hope this man never sees the outside of a prison cell again. From the above article:

Milecki wrote that Ledyard’s attacks, which his wife has alternately confirmed and denied, had left her with bruises all over her body, a missing fingertip, and fractures of her face, nose, wrist, elbow, ribs, and spine.

Stephanie Ledyard went to the hospital numerous times after his attacks, in which she was punched, kicked, pushed to the ground, and even thrown against a wall, according to Milecki’s memo. But she often told doctors and nurses that her injuries were from accidents such as falling off her bike, and, in the case of her missing fingertip, smashing it in a car door, according to Milecki’s memo.

Milecki’s memo said Stephanie indicated that Benjamin began abusing her before their marriage, and that on their wedding night, he “hit her so hard she had a hematoma,’’ a severe bruise.

It was just three months later that she called 911, and police arrested Benjamin Ledyard for assault.

Several other episodes occurred in 2022, including the incident where her fingertip was allegedly bitten off, and another where she needed surgery for a broken wrist and elbow.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Yes I agree that this individual needs to be held to account. For the treatment of his third wife, as well as any other cases in which he may be involved. The reported beating and hostility towards the third wife is deplorable and disgusting IMO.

I am also dismayed that other local news outlets are not reporting on the latest developments and his conduct, in particular towards women. Now that this case has been prosecuted and addressed maybe progress and some other leads in Susan Ledyard’s death can be made. It is time to ramp up investigations, and seek info!

I hope other news outlets will pick this up. And immediately.

Is there any way to contact Susan’s family and get further progress with the authorities and news channels if they would wish so? Local news affiliates in Delaware & Pennsylvania should be all over this - to help solve her murder: NBC 10 Philadelphia; local ABC 6, FOX 9 Philadelphia; The News Journal / Delawareonline, etc. Maybe people will begin to speak now? Does anyone have contacts with either the family or these news affiliates to help carry this forward for her family?
MOO

 

[azure]

Yes I agree that this individual needs to be held to account. For the treatment of his third wife, as well as any other cases in which he may be involved. The reported beating and hostility towards the third wife is deplorable and disgusting IMO.

I am also dismayed that other local news outlets are not reporting on the latest developments and his conduct, in particular towards women. Now that this case has been prosecuted and addressed maybe progress and some other leads in Susan Ledyard’s death can be made. It is time to ramp up investigations, and seek info!

I hope other news outlets will pick this up. And immediately.

Is there any way to contact Susan’s family and get further progress with the authorities and news channels if they would wish so? Local news affiliates in Delaware & Pennsylvania should be all over this - to help solve her murder: NBC 10 Philadelphia; local ABC 6, FOX 9 Philadelphia; The News Journal / Delawareonline, etc. Maybe people will begin to speak now? Does anyone have contacts with either the family or these news affiliates to help carry this forward for her family?
MOO

Susan's family is well aware of the latest charges. Her sister declined comment in this 2023 article: Del. man whose wife’s 2019 murder remains unsolved charged with attacks on new wife

Please don't contact the grieving family of a murder victim because you participate in a true crime message board.

 

[Andreee]

Yes I agree that this individual needs to be held to account. For the treatment of his third wife, as well as any other cases in which he may be involved. The reported beating and hostility towards the third wife is deplorable and disgusting IMO.

I am also dismayed that other local news outlets are not reporting on the latest developments and his conduct, in particular towards women. Now that this case has been prosecuted and addressed maybe progress and some other leads in Susan Ledyard’s death can be made. It is time to ramp up investigations, and seek info!

I hope other news outlets will pick this up. And immediately.

Is there any way to contact Susan’s family and get further progress with the authorities and news channels if they would wish so? Local news affiliates in Delaware & Pennsylvania should be all over this - to help solve her murder: NBC 10 Philadelphia; local ABC 6, FOX 9 Philadelphia; The News Journal / Delawareonline, etc. Maybe people will begin to speak now? Does anyone have contacts with either the family or these news affiliates to help carry this forward for her family?
MOO

We websleuthers arent allowed to contact family members of victims which makes sense.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

We websleuthers arent allowed to contact family members of victims which makes sense.

Thank you all for the additional thoughts and insight. And appreciate the guidance.

I do hope that the authorities will continue to pursue this case as it rightfully deserves. MOO

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I am local to this area and case. This guy has been arrested a few times i think for DV. Any questions I can answer?

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

A December 26, 2023 article from Delaware local news WDEL.com by Mike Phillips on a prison term for Mr. Ledyard:

Benjamin Ledyard sentenced to prison term

Benjamin Ledyard is headed to prison for two years in connection with the domestic beating of his wife Stephanie a year ago.

www.wdel.com

 

[elmomom]

dbm

 

[alexwood]

A December 26, 2023 article from Delaware local news WDEL.com by Mike Phillips on a prison term for Mr. Ledyard:

Benjamin Ledyard sentenced to prison term

Benjamin Ledyard is headed to prison for two years in connection with the domestic beating of his wife Stephanie a year ago.

www.wdel.com

Another one is getting away with it. Bring back the death penalty and these domestic violence incidents, and related "deaths", will cease. (IMO)

 

[?!?]

Another one is getting away with it. Bring back the death penalty and these domestic violence incidents, and related "deaths", will cease. (IMO)

Hope that #3 is getting:

1) some serious self-protection counseling (like the likelihood that BL will be seeking revenge);
2) one or more firearms and training - being mentally and physically ready to use it/them;
3) a divorce while he's still in prison (and can be watched);
4) arrange to be notified if he is parolled/ probationed before the two years are up, so she is on alert (the victim in these cases is not usually notified).

MOO - IANAE - YMMV - etc.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Bump…..

Sad that there seems to be little movement in this case.

Now that IIUC Ledyard is serving a prison sentence for events with his third wife, I sure hope that police and investigators are working all angles on this case. MOO

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

I keep going over the time line as well as the fact that her car was found parked blocking a driveway, unlocked, with her purse and keys inside. I’m thinking if I can work out those details to make sense, it would give a good indication of the circumstances that brought her to that area.

Yes @MsKitty reviewing this case again does raise some questions.

IMO if SL had supposedly gone to meet someone for whatever purposes (and I am not conceding this)….. seems that the car would have been parked or placed more securely or discreetly? It would not have been haphazardly (my wording) been placed or parked as it seems to have been, almost misparked and left in an unusual manner. That IMO speaks to either a deliberate placement almost to drive a ready discovery. (And it isn’t clear whether it was simply SL car (or items tied to her, e.g. phone, etc.) that moved in that early morning. Was the vehicle possibly moved twice on that time? And how much is known about her movements and the movements of the vehicle?

It both saddens and maddens me that there doesn’t seem to be more progress or information available. I also would have hoped that the investigation would have reexamined all aspects of this. And I wish additional investigative and local journalists were working this case for resolution. MOO

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Yes @MsKitty reviewing this case again does raise some questions.

IMO if SL had supposedly gone to meet someone for whatever purposes (and I am not conceding this)….. seems that the car would have been parked or placed more securely or discreetly? It would not have been haphazardly (my wording) been placed or parked as it seems to have been, almost misparked and left in an unusual manner. That IMO speaks to either a deliberate placement almost to drive a ready discovery. (And it isn’t clear whether it was simply SL car (or items tied to her, e.g. phone, etc.) that moved in that early morning. Was the vehicle possibly moved twice on that time? And how much is known about her movements and the movements of the vehicle?

It both saddens and maddens me that there doesn’t seem to be more progress or information available. I also would have hoped that the investigation would have reexamined all aspects of this. And I wish additional investigative and local journalists were working this case for resolution. MOO

I definitely think it was him, especially considering DV convictions with his third wife. Kind of amazed actually that they haven't found enough out to be able to charge him.

 

[AndrewM71]

I’m sure the police strongly suspect the same person we all do, and would love to arrest him because this makes them look bad. I would imagine they took a good run at the current wife after she was beaten, as she may have information.

I think the problem here is that the initial investigation was sloppy - he was allowed to drive off in her car, I don’t think they considered the home as a potential crime scene or considered him a suspect. As we all know, it’s very possible to blow a case in these early stages.

I know at one point the police said he wasn’t a suspect, but I think that was just playing games with him.