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
The Murder of Sandra Birchmore- Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:08
In February of 2021, police officers performed a welfare check on 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore in Canton, Massachusetts. When they gained entry to her apartment, they found the young teacher's aide dead in her bedroom fr…
The Murder of Sandra Birchmore- Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:37
In February of 2021, police officers performed a welfare check on 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore in Canton, Massachusetts. When they gained entry to her apartment, they found the young teacher’s aide dead in her bedroom fr…
The Kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard: 18 Years Hidden in Plain Sight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:47
In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted on her way to the school bus in South Lake Tahoe, California. What followed was one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases in modern true crime—eighteen years of…
The Kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard: 18 Years Hidden in Plain Sight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:16
In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was abducted on her way to the school bus in South Lake Tahoe, California. What followed was one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases in modern true crime—eighteen years of…
Taylor Swift vs DJ David Mueller Groping Trial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:11
In 2015, a former Denver radio DJ filed a civil suit against our queen, Taylor Swift, claiming that she'd ruined his career. Taylor immediately countersued the DJ, alleging that not only had he ruined his OWN career, he'…
Taylor Swift vs DJ David Mueller Groping Trial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:40
In 2015, a former Denver radio DJ filed a civil suit against our queen, Taylor Swift, claiming that she’d ruined his career. Taylor immediately countersued the DJ, alleging that not only had he ruined his OWN career, he’…
The Cardi B Trial Was ICONIC- Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:42
Part 2 of 2 When the plaintiff's expert is a plastic surgeon who couldn't rule out a dwarf with razor-sharp toenails for the scratches, this trial felt less like Law & Order and more like Real Housewives: Beverly Hills C…
The Cardi B Trial Was ICONIC- Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:11
Part 2 of 2 When the plaintiff’s expert is a plastic surgeon who couldn’t rule out a dwarf with razor-sharp toenails for the scratches, this trial felt less like Law & Order and more like Real Housewives: Beverly Hills C…