The Au Pair Affair Part 2: Brendan Banfield Takes the Stand | The Verdict & Sentencing

The Au Pair Affair Part 2: Brendan Banfield Takes the Stand | The Verdict & Sentencing

Author: This Feels Criminal | Formerly Killer Queens March 3, 2026 Duration: 1:08:21
"It’s easier to fall in love with someone that saved you." Those were the words of Brendan Banfield as he attempted to explain away an affair, a dead wife, and a dead stranger to a jury of twelve. In Part 2 of our deep dive into the VA v. Brendan Banfield trial, we move past the "catfish" plot and into the courtroom moments that sealed the defendant's fate. In this episode, we discuss: Brendan’s Performance: Was he a grieving husband or a cold-blooded manipulator? We analyze his claims that Christine could speak after seven stab wounds to the neck. The Forensic "Gotcha": Why the defense’s own digital investigator became the prosecution’s best witness during cross-examination. The Fatal Flaw: The specific pattern of FetLife logins that proved "Anastasia 9" only existed when Brendan or Juliana were home. The Rebuttal: How a brief testimony from Brendan’s supervisor, T. Smith Patrick, turned a "work meeting" alibi into a documented lie. Closure: The sentencing of Juliana Magalhães and what this case says about the "Double Murder" plot that nearly worked. Hang with us: Follow Us on Instagram Like Us on Facebook Join our Case Discussion Group on Facebook Get Killer Queens Merch Bonus Episodes Support Our AMAZING Sponsors: HelloFresh: Go to HelloFresh.com/queens10fm to get 10 free meals + a FREE Zwilling Knife on your third box. © 2026 Killer Queens Podcast. All Rights Reserved Audio Production by Wayfare Recording Music provided by Steven Tobi Logo designed by Ingrid at Penguin Designing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might remember Tyrella and Nikita from their previous work as the Killer Queens. After eight years and hundreds of cases covered, their perspective has fundamentally shifted, leading to a thoughtful evolution of the true crime conversation. This new chapter, titled This Feels Criminal: A True Crime Podcast (Formerly Killer Queens), is for an audience that has matured alongside them, moving beyond the straightforward narrative to ask deeper, more difficult questions about the stories we think we know. Grounded in a shared history of growing up with Dateline and the early internet, the hosts now approach each case with a deconstructed viewpoint, examining the societal and human layers often glossed over. The podcast delves into the historical context surrounding crimes, exploring how time and place shape tragedy. Listeners will hear nuanced discussions that prioritize perspective over sensationalism, focusing on the complex "why" behind the "what." It’s a natural progression for hosts and audience alike, offering a more considered space within a crowded genre. Each episode of this podcast builds on a foundation of extensive research and lived experience, aiming to understand the full weight of the story, because there’s always more to it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

This Feels Criminal: A True Crime Podcast (Formerly Killer Queens)
Podcast Episodes
Courtney Clenney: "Is Love Going to Kill Me?" - Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:21
Five weeks before he died, Christian Obumseli sent his girlfriend a text that read: "Is love going to kill me?" He was dead 33 days later, and she was not arrested for four months. This is Part 2 of the Christian Obumsel…
Courtney Clenney: She Said She Threw the Knife | Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:03
He texted her "Is love going to kill me?" and was dead 33 days later. What the medical examiner found next changes everything. Christian Obumseli was a 27-year-old Nigerian-American engineer and former college linebacker…
Mackenzie Shirilla: She Threatened It Two Weeks Before- Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:55
Two weeks before the crash, a witness heard Mackenzie Shirilla say "I will crash this car right now." On July 31, 2022, she did — at over 100 mph, into a brick building, killing her boyfriend Dominic Russo and his friend…
DoorDash Girl: The Evidence She Posted Herself - Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:37
She posted it to TikTok before she called the police — and then 30 million people saw it. That decision may send her to trial on two Class E felonies. In Part 2 of the viral DoorDash case, Tyrella and Nikita break down t…
DoorDash Girl: 30M Views, Then a Felony Arrest | Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:29
She posted a video of a man — unconscious, partially nude, in his own home — and 30 million people believed every word she said. Within weeks, she was the one under arrest. Olivia Henderson is a 23-year-old DoorDash driv…
DoorDash Girl: 30M Views, Then a Felony Arrest | Pt. 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:58
She posted a video of a man — unconscious, partially nude, in his own home — and 30 million people believed every word she said. Within weeks, she was the one under arrest. Olivia Henderson is a 23-year-old DoorDash driv…
Missing Scientists: Your Brain Is the Conspiracy | Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:12
A Substack post became a federal probe in eight weeks. That's faster than most podcast episodes get edited. So what actually happened — and what does it mean that it can happen again? In Part 2, Tyrella and Nikita move f…
Missing Scientists: Your Brain Is the Conspiracy | Pt. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:41
A Substack post became a federal probe in eight weeks. That's faster than most podcast episodes get edited. So what actually happened — and what does it mean that it can happen again? In Part 2, Tyrella and Nikita move f…