Robert Joseph Banfelder grew up in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, a rural community where he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Robert currently lives on the North Fork of Long Island with his lifelong partner, Donna, where they both enjoy outdoor adventures. He is the proud parent of Jason Robert Banfelder.
Robert graduated from Queens College with a BA in English, cum laude, and received his Masters in English; genre, Creative Writing, at the same institution. Robert also instructed college level classes in English, Creative Writing, as well as a myriad of Adult Education courses he designed.
As an investigative reporter for North Shore News, Robert wrote nine extensive editorials that decried the incarceration of a young man wrongly accused and convicted of a crime he did not commit. With the help of Robert’s articles, attorney Mark Baker of Barry Slotnick’s office, along with CBS News correspondent, Mike Taiibi, Richard Tchilinguirian’s conviction was overturned, and the man was released from prison. Robert also covered such high-profile personalities as John Gotti, Amy Fisher, O.J. Simpson, and Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, to name but a few.
The criminal mind has always been of fascination to Robert; hence, his first psychological thriller, No Stranger Than I, published in 1990. The novel relates the story of an abused and battered child, whose early experiences manifest themselves in veritably horrific ways. It is a narrative of insanity in its infancy, taking the reader through a labyrinth of twisted telling, revealed by the omniscient antagonist himself. His second thriller, The Teacher, was released in June 2006, by Port Town Publishing. The prequel to The Teacher, entitled The Author was released in July 2007.
An underlying motif in the author’s works is the New York State Death Penalty Law. Robert says, “After a quarter of a century, we finally got that law enacted, but no one has bothered to carry it to full fruition—not even after the defendant (who became fodder for and fleshed out in a subsequent thriller, Trace Evidence) was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by lethal injection. Therefore, in essence, we do not have a death penalty law in this state. Period. Nor will we likely see anyone put to death for horrific crimes.” Subsequently, the New York State Death Penalty Law has been vacated; People vs. Stephen LaValle, June 24, 2004. The writer has very definite views on who should be executed in our land. Who? “Simply put—” says the author, “—anyone who murders with malice aforethought...not just beyond a reasonable doubt, for what is at all reasonable about doubt? How sure must we be of a defendant’s guilt? Jack Ruby sure; Colin Ferguson sure,” says Banfelder.
Robert has continued writing psychological thrillers, creating a series of novels: The Signing and The Triumvirate, sequels to No Stranger Than I, complete the trilogy. Trace Evidence is based on the actual Robert Shulman serial killer trial, Long Island’s first death penalty case in over a quarter of a century. The Author, The Teacher, and Knots introduce a second series. The Good Samaritans reintroduces characters from his earlier works.
Additionally, Robert shares his expertise on fishing and hunting in articles for Nor'east Saltwater, The Fisherman, On The Water, New York Game & Fish, and Big Game Fishing Journal.
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Robert Joseph Banfelder grew up in Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, a rural community where he enjoyed hunting and fishing. Robert currently lives on the North Fork of Long Island with his lifelong partner, Donna, where they both enjoy outdoor adventures. He is the proud parent of Jason Robert Banfelder.