Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

What happens when a suburban love affair turns deadly? When the prosecution's star witness is also negotiating a Netflix deal from her jail cell?On February 24, 2023, Christine Banfield, a beloved pediatric ICU nurse, was found dead in her Fairfax County, Virginia home.

Also dead: Joseph Ryan, a man Christine had allegedly been communicating with online about violent fantasies.

But prosecutors say Christine never sent those messages. They say her husband Brendan Banfield and their au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães were having an affair, and instead of getting a divorce, they hatched a plan to kill Christine and stage it as a home invasion gone wrong.

In this episode, we break down the first four days of Brendan Banfield's murder trial, including Juliana's explosive testimony as the prosecution's star witness. We cover the fake online persona created to lure Joseph Ryan, the forensic evidence pointing to a staged crime scene, jailhouse love letters, and why Juliana is negotiating a Netflix deal while testifying.

Make sure to check-out One Strange Thing Podcast. If you love the weird and mysterious, THIS is the show!

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In the summer of 1999, 17-year-olds J.B. Beasley and Tracie Hawlett took a wrong turn on their way to a party and ended up in Ozark, Alabama. After a frantic call to Tracie's mom from a gas station payphone, the two girls vanished.

The next morning, their bodies were discovered in the trunk of J.B.'s car, each with a single gunshot wound to the head. The case went cold for nearly two decades until a breakthrough in genetic genealogy led investigators to a shocking suspect: a man who had been living a seemingly normal life in their own community.

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In September 2007, four friends set out on a chartered fishing trip off the coast of Miami aboard the yacht Joe Cool. Captain Jake Branam, his wife Kelley, and crew members Scott Gamble and Samuel Kairy were excited for what should have been a routine day on the water.But they never came home.

What the crew didn't know was that three men—Kirby Archer, Guillermo Zarabozo, and Carlos—had hatched a desperate plan to steal a boat and flee to Cuba. They boarded the Joe Cool under the guise of a fishing charter, but their real intention was far more sinister.

When the Coast Guard found Kirby and Guillermo adrift in a life raft days later, they spun a wild story about being attacked by armed men. But investigators quickly unraveled their lies. The four crew members had been murdered and thrown overboard. Their bodies were never recovered.

This is the story of the Joe Cool murders—a case of greed, desperation, and cold-blooded murder on the high seas.

We're revisiting this Florida Files case with updated details and a deeper look at what happened that tragic day.

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Andreen McDonald was a Jamaican immigrant who built a multi-million dollar assisted living business by age 22. She was a fitness champion and devoted mother living in San Antonio with her husband, Air Force Major Andre McDonald. From the outside, they were a Texas power couple.

But behind closed doors, years of domestic violence and control had created a toxic marriage spiraling toward tragedy.

On March 1st, 2019, Andreen vanished. She didn't show up for her 5 AM workout or arrive at work—completely out of character. As friends and family grew frantic, the couple's young, autistic daughter told investigators: "Daddy hurt Mommy."

What followed was a massive search, a gruesome discovery, and a trial that exposed the dark secrets of a seemingly perfect marriage. This is the heartbreaking story of Andreen McDonald—a case of ambition, jealousy, domestic violence, and murder.

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A double murder in a quiet Georgia town. A 5-year-old discovers her parents shot in their bed. No forced entry, no weapon. The prime suspect? Their 16-year-old daughter. This week we discuss the shocking case of Sarah Grace Patrick and the digital trail that led to her arrest.

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Sources:


Georgia Girl, 17, Accused of Fatally Shooting Mom and Stepdad, Whose Bodies Were Discovered by Her 6-Year-Old Sister


‘We had our suspicions’: Niece of couple murdered in Carroll home reacts to teen daughter’s arrest


Georgia teen charged in parents' deaths sought help from TikTok influencers | FOX 5 Atlanta


Carroll County teen accused of killing family: Grandfather believes she's innocent | FOX 5 Atlanta


Community Left Seeking Answers In the Unsolved Murder of a Carroll County Couple: – The West Georgian


Sarah Grace Patrick Had No Family Support At Bond Hearing | Closing Arguments Podcast


Teen who eulogized mom, stepdad arrested in their killings | Banfield Full Episode 7/10


Carrollton couple found dead in bed; authorities search for answers


‘He warned us about her’: Carroll County family voices suspicions about stepdaughter after stepdad’s death


'Smallest daughter found them': Teen murdered her mother and stepfather while her 6-year-old sister was home with them, cops say | Law & Crime


'Pattern of intimidation towards family': Teen who posted TikTok tributes after murdering mom and stepdad threatened others, relatives and DA say | Law & Crime


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xmg-tmV8SHs5heaoTyGPk7uHNfB2wBFe/view (Image)


2022-08-22 Kristin Nolan Patrick DV Cruelty to Children Warrant.pdf


2022-08-24 Ex Parte Emergency PO against Kristin Patrick.pdf


2022-09-14 James Brock Motion Dismissal Charges.pdf


2022-08-25 James Brocks Petition of RO against Kristin Nolan Patrick DV.pdf


https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064557800560


https://www.facebook.com/doniel.patrick.2025/posts/pfbid02d8uHjDHLgDKLeXCem5bgEqJk8E1LacVETRMCdCVhErWrTXsowSPwEkimQtA7dg4Vl?rdid=Fg47SAJal9DfFL7H#


Mental evaluation results pending for Carroll County teen accused of killing mother, stepfather


https://www.facebook.com/CarrollCountySheriffGA/posts/pfbid0BnoLJ4tmUdAmP3YW9r2xMAUjJmbkZ8JGLUMfzANeog1rGCMifU7PTXHiZv9cDXrJl


https://www.newspapers.com/image/1240903454/?match=1&terms=Sarah%20Grace%20Patrick


2025-12-01 Order denying motion to change venue-1.pdf


2025-11-19 Request for continuance.pdf


Georgia teen charged in fatal shootings of mom and stepdad posted TikTok video pleading for support - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports


https://www.tiktok.com/@shoelover99/video/7525111063684140302


NewsNation Instagram Interview with Allegedly Reportedly Creator


Did Sarah Grace Patrick Kill Her Parents? Our Video Investigation Reveals Shocking New Clues


Father of Teen Charged With Murder Says She Didn’t Show ‘Any Red Flags’ - Newsweek


Teen Daughter Accused of Killing Mother and Stepfather in Georgia - Newsweek

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