Au Pair Affair Murder Trial: Brendan Banfield Takes The Stand In His Own Defense

Summary

Au Pair Affair Murder Trial: Brendan Banfield Takes The Stand In His Own Defense

Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present (iHeartPodcasts)
Air Date: January 28, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the most explosive day yet in the highly publicized "Au Pair Affair" double homicide trial. The defendant, Brendan Banfield, took the stand in his own defense—a move rarely seen, especially in murder cases. Hosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes provide in-depth, real-time reactions to Banfield’s testimony, focusing on his account of the affair with the family’s au pair, the sequence of events on the day of the murders, and his efforts to dismantle the prosecution's narrative. The episode also highlights revealing moments from earlier testimony, the spectacle of courtroom dynamics, and pivotal evidence that could sway the jury.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Unusual Defendant Testimony

• Brendan Banfield takes the stand in his defense (02:45), which Amy notes is rare in double homicide cases.
  • Amy Robach [04:35]:
    “In my 30 years covering trials, I have never seen a defendant accused of murder take the stand in his own defense.”
• The judge carefully ensures Banfield fully understands his rights and the risks involved.

2. Prosecution’s Tactics and Jury Perception

• Prosecutor described as relentless.
  • Frequent objections often sustained, but her tone is perceived as “annoying” and potentially off-putting to the jury.
  • Amy Robach [05:32]:
    "Her voice… there's just something about her tone that is slightly sarcastic and like, huh, like I told you so. Like I know better than you."
• The prosecution's frequent interruptions may disrupt narrative flow, possibly irritating jurors.

3. Banfield’s Emotional Tone and Credibility

• Hosts are surprised by Banfield's open, seemingly genuine manner.
  • Amy Robach [06:59]:
    "Wow, he seems genuine. And that's either incredible or a little scary. I'm not sure which."
  • T.J. agrees he comes off as believable and authentic, not overly rehearsed [07:43].
• His portrayal as a “regular guy”
  • IRS agent, long-term marriage, admits previous affairs by both parties.

4. Details of the Au Pair Affair

• Banfield describes the first intimate night with the au pair, emphasizing she made the first move (08:32–09:22).
  • Banfield quoted [09:22]:
    "I did not stop her advances."
• The hosts question the sudden escalation from professional to sexual relationship, but the timeline suggests opportunity coincided with his wife and daughter’s trip to New York (10:30).

5. Argument Against Motive

• Banfield claims the relationship was an affair—nothing more. Both spouses had a history of infidelities, nullifying the “murder for love” or “to escape marriage” motive.
  • Banfield quoted [12:01]:
    "So I'm in a relationship he said…and by the way, he set it up from the beginning that this was just an affair, that he loved his wife, he was going to stay with his wife, that he had multiple affairs and that Christine had had affairs and that they had made it through and this was just going to be an affair."
• He calls the prosecution’s narrative “absolutely crazy.”
  • Banfield quoted [12:58]:
    "That is absolutely crazy."

6. Addressing Key Evidence and Timelines

• The Shooting Range Trip:
  • Prosecution claims it was part of a murder plan.
  • Banfield explains it was routine due to his profession, and the timing does not align with other alleged planning activities (14:14–15:49).
  • T.J. Holmes [14:32]:
    "He had the best fricking response to that that you can come up with."
• The McDonald’s Breakfast:
  • The morning of the murders was Banfield’s birthday and a critical presentation day at work.
  • Banfield claims his routine trip to McDonald’s that morning was ordinary, undermining the notion he was “lurking” or waiting for the “call” as suggested by the prosecution (16:33–18:27).
  • Amy Robach [16:44]:
    “It’s his birthday and he’s got a big day at work… I didn’t know any of that.”
  • T.J. Holmes [17:56]:
    “So this is a problem. You’re telling me? You’re going to plan to kill your wife on your birthday and the day you have a huge presentation?”

7. Laptop & Access to FetLife Account

• Laptop logistics challenge prosecution’s theory.
  • Prosecution alleged Banfield and the au pair secretly accessed Christine’s laptop to make incriminating FetLife accounts.
  • Banfield testifies that Christine always kept her laptop with her, usually in the bedroom, making the prosecution’s narrative about “sneaking it” implausible (23:31–24:48).
  • Amy Robach [24:29]:
    "She brought her laptop up and would put it at the desk. He's like. But honestly, more often than not, she had it on her lap as she'd sit up in bed… I just said, duh. That's what everybody does."
  • Banfield adds he did not know her password, reinforcing he couldn’t have accessed it (24:40).

8. Crucial Forensic Testimony

• Digital forensics expert challenges the prosecution’s catfishing theory.
  • He asserts it is "impossible for this to be a catfishing scheme" using technical evidence about device access and online timelines (27:27–28:13).
  • Amy Robach [28:08]:
    “He is flat out saying that it is impossible that Christine did not know about those accounts.”
  • Cross-examination didn’t shake his conclusions.

9. What’s Next in the Trial?

• Banfield will continue testifying the following day, with potential cross-examination looming (26:44–27:11).
• The hosts anticipate hearing Banfield’s version of events during the murders themselves as proceedings resume.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Amy Robach [04:35]:
  "In my 30 years of covering trials, I have never seen a defendant accused of murder take the stand in his own defense."

• Amy Robach [05:32]:
  "[The prosecutor has] a tone… slightly sarcastic, like, huh, like I told you so."

• Amy Robach [06:59]:
  "Wow, he seems genuine. And that's either incredible or a little scary."

• Brendan Banfield (via Amy Robach) [09:22]:
  "I did not stop her advances."

• Brendan Banfield (summarized by Amy Robach) [12:58]:
  "That is absolutely crazy," about the idea he’d kill for the au pair.

• Amy Robach [14:13]:
  "He had the best fricking response to [the shooting range claim] you can come up with."

• T.J. Holmes [17:56]:
  “You’re telling me? You’re going to plan to kill your wife on your birthday and the day you have a huge presentation?”

• Amy Robach [24:29]:
  “She brought her laptop...but honestly, more often than not, she had it on her lap as she’d sit up in bed… I just said, duh.”

• Amy Robach [28:08]:
  "It is impossible for this to be a catfishing scheme."

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:45: Opening summary – Banfield takes the stand
• 03:43: Case update & weather disruption, schedule going forward
• 04:35: Judge prepping Banfield for testimony
• 05:32: Prosecution’s disruptive tactics
• 06:59: Hosts discuss Banfield’s credibility
• 08:08: Details of au pair affair & transition to sexual relationship
• 10:30: Timeline of affair—why it became possible
• 12:01: Banfield dismantles apparent motive
• 14:13: Shooting range explanation
• 16:33: McDonald’s trip and its significance
• 23:31: Laptop and FetLife account access explained
• 27:27: Digital forensics expert’s devastating testimony
• 26:44: What’s next? Banfield to continue testifying

---

Overall Tone & Flow

Amy and T.J. maintain an informal, conversational, and at times incredulous tone, expressing surprise at Banfield’s openness and the frequent courtroom fireworks. They repeatedly note when testimony “makes sense” to them and speculate on how jurors may respond. The podcast walks the listener through both the day’s dramatic moments and subtle nuances, anticipating developments as the trial nears its conclusion.

---

For listeners wanting a gripping account of an extraordinary moment in a double murder trial—with explanations of legal tactics, possible jury perspectives, and breakdowns of game-changing testimony—this episode offers a clear, thorough, and engaging recap.

Transcript

[Amy Robach]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[T.J. Holmes]

Guaranteed Human success starts with your drive, and American Public University is here to fuel it.

[Amy Robach]

With affordable tuition and over 200 flexible online programs, APU helps you gain the skills and confidence to move forward.

[T.J. Holmes]

Whether you're changing careers, starting fresh, or pursuing a lifelong passion, APU's programs are designed for people who never stop.

[Amy Robach]

You bring the fire. APU will fuel the journey. Learn more at apu. Apus. Edu.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's it's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more Find your favorite [e-mail] that's P R E M I E R protein.com this is Chelsea Handler from Dear.

[Chelsea Handler]

Chelsea, I have some very exciting news. I am always looking for companies to support that are ethical. And let's be honest, the phone companies we've all been stuck with are not that. You know I travel constantly and supposedly I have international free roaming on Verizon. Yet my phone bills are still 300, 400 and even $500 a month. It makes zero sense. So I switched to a company with actual ethics, Noble Mobile and they pay you for staying off your phone. The more you unplug, the more money you save each month and the most you'll Ever pay is 50 bucks Unlimited coverage when I need it, cash back when I don't. It was started by people I know and trust. So if you trust me and want to join my mission to stop being a phone addicted zombie, come along. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea right now and try it for just 10 bucks. That's noblemobile.com Chelsea this message comes from Greenlight.

[Amy Robach]

Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest with your guardrails in place. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores automate allowance and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] iheart.

[T.J. Holmes]

Hey there folks. It is Wednesday, January 28th. And it has been the most explosive day yet in the so called au pair affair trial. Brendan Banville is on the stand in his own defense. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ Robes. This is just rare that you see this and it's even rarer to see it in a homicide. This is a double homicide case. Brendan Banfield is on the stand.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. And he is accused of killing his wife and a stranger that prosecutors say he lured to his home to try and pin the murder on him for killing his wife. But man, to see that kind of defendant take the stand and actually testify to the affair with the au pair and to testify moment by moment about the day of the murders, it has been jaw dropping.

[T.J. Holmes]

The au pair did testify. I believe it was on day one or two of this trial. So now he is getting his turn. Let's tell you where we are in this case. They had been out, missed a day because. Or two days. Two days because of the storm. So we are back now where we are. Sounds like this thing is going to wrap up and the jury could have this trial by Friday. We'll get into the schedule. But Robes, this was almost, I was going to call it the most explosive day before we even knew he was going to testify because there was another witness on the stand giving explosive testimony that threw the whole prosecution's case into doubt. We'll get into that next. But first, Robes, just the moment your reaction when the judge started asking Brendan Banfield questions and we knew he was about to testify but just to. She had to go through this process and it was just something to know what was coming.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah, my heart was pounding to have her make sure he knew his rights, that he did not have to testify, that the jury would be directed by her to not hold that against him. And so he just kept saying, yes, I know this and yes, I want to testify. And in my 30 years of covering trials, I have never seen a defendant accused of murder take the stand in his own defense.

[T.J. Holmes]

This is a double homicide. So this has turned into a he said, she said. And so he is getting his story officially on the record. That back and forth goes on. He takes the stand and Robes, the, the prosecution has been really. And I wonder how she's going to come across. We should talk to an expert about it. But she has been interrupting and objecting and objecting and sometimes objecting in not the kindest of ways. It's her tactic or whatever. But it's, I wonder how that has been coming across to this jury.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. I would use the word relentless. That's kind of how she comes off and to the point where it's so disruptive that you can't even follow what the testimony is going to be or should be or. And you start to get frustrated because she keeps interrupting. And even though she may. And most of her objections were sustained, they were only a few were overruled. So the judge was validating her. But still, it's annoying and it's irritating. So I, you know, and she, her voice, there's just something about her tone that is slightly sarcastic and like, huh, Like I told you so. Like, I know better than you. So she's got this tone about her on top of it that adds to the annoyance.

[T.J. Holmes]

That's no judgment on her. It is an observation. And if we put ourselves in that jury box, it's unquestionable. What you speak of. And I, I mentioned her. She's not allowing the defense attorney to get into a flow. So I bring that up because of. Even when Brendan Banfield first got on the stand and he's just getting some softball questions from his own lawyer about what was your relationship like? Show me this picture. Where were you guys at these happy things? The attorney was still kind of interrupting like, objection.

[Amy Robach]

Foundation.

[T.J. Holmes]

Where are we going? I don't know the line. And she object. She got up once and started talking and the judge said, so you have an objection? Ah, never mind. Right. She was interrupting everything. But was it effective hearing him talk about his wife and how much he loved her?

[Amy Robach]

Yes. So I, I have to say this. My overall impression of him from the beginning when he started talking was, wow, he seems genuine. And that's either incredible or a little scary. I'm, I'm not sure which it is. But listening to him talk, it's like your next door neighbor, he's an IRS agent. He, he's known this, his wife since they were in College. They spent 18 years together. He's very honest about affairs. Just everything he was saying and talking about his relationship with her and that he loved her very much. It, it didn't seem put on. It didn't seem like he was acting and it, it just seemed genuine. What were your impressions?

[T.J. Holmes]

It came off. It just came off. Well, we talked about if this, if this comes down to what he said, she said, and if, even if you don't know what to do with their stories, you at this point might just pick the one you like better. And he is coming across at this point is just his attorney, but at this point, he is coming across awfully authentic, believable. Sure. I'm sure he's practiced and he's rehearsed, but he's not coming off that way.

[Amy Robach]

He's not. And we were learning things about his relationship with Christine, his wife, and his daughter Valerie. And pretty quickly, even after establishing that, we got started into hearing how the two went from just being a boss and an au pair to having actually a sexual relationship.

[T.J. Holmes]

I didn't get this, really. Seemed like they went from zero to 80 and didn't really understand why. It wasn't a lot of setup to the flirtation or whatever, where there's some back and forth. But the story goes rope. They were. He was just in the kitchen cooking one night. She's upstairs texting him. He said, why don't you come down and talk? And one thing leads to another.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah.

[T.J. Holmes]

So.

[Amy Robach]

And what I didn't realize is Christine and Valerie were actually visiting relatives in New York. So it was just the two of them in the house together. So she comes down, they talk for an hour and a half about her. How hard it is to be on dating apps and to date. And, yeah, all of a sudden, it goes from that to them going upstairs. And he said, the master bedroom is in one direction and her bedroom was in the other. And she asked me to come. And what he said was, quote, I did not stop her advances.

[T.J. Holmes]

Okay, let me stop there. I was about to say something else. Did it. I mean, he didn't go too hard on this point, but still, he made the point that she was the one that made the first move. Is that right?

[Amy Robach]

Absolutely.

[T.J. Holmes]

And then it got weird. What was this about the dating app? I thought that was. I. Well, that was that night.

[Amy Robach]

That was that night when they were in the kitchen talking. That was their conversation. She was complaining about how hard it was to be on dating apps. But then at one point, he testified, she was scrolling through the matches she had, and she said, isn't it funny? Look, they're all like you. And he said their names were Brandon, Brendan, and Brennan. Like versions of his name. That was a weird. You looked at me. You're like, what? I don't know why that was relevant, but I guess they were just trying to build this notion that maybe she was doing it on purpose to flirt with him in the kitchen.

[T.J. Holmes]

Okay, but, yeah, that was an odd thing, but to you? Again, I didn't understand a setup. What happened? You all just start. You will have nothing but a purely professional relationship. And then one night, she decides to text Comes downstairs, tells you about her dating life and all of a sudden you're in a relationship.

[Amy Robach]

That's what it seemed to be. Or at least according to him, that is what happened. It was maybe the first time Christine and Valerie were both out of the house. Maybe it was the first time they were alone because she started working there in October of 2021. And he says this happened in August of 2022. And that's really, really important because then he's able to address very effectively, in my opinion, this notion that really, are you serious? So I'm in a relationship, he said. And by the way, he said he set it up from the beginning that this was just an affair, that he loved his wife, he was going to stay with his wife, that he had had multiple affairs and that Christine had had affairs and that they were, you know, that they had made it through and this was just going to be an affair.

[T.J. Holmes]

That I think might have been the. One of the most effective lines for me today, at least narratives, I should say. To hear that the two of them had worked through affairs set off a question of, well, why was this one so special that in six weeks you want to kill your wife?

[Amy Robach]

Yes. And that is exactly what he said. He said, I think it's an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious, that a plan was made to get rid of my wife. He said, I was with her for six to eight weeks in why would that be all of a sudden the moment in which I say I want to, you know, kill my wife and run off into the sunset with you? That resonated.

[T.J. Holmes]

It took off a lot of motive, if you will, because robes. Is he worried about his wife finding out. She's going to say, oh, you're at it again, versus oh my God, my whole life is going to blow up. He would think he could survive another. Yes, that was effective.

[Amy Robach]

Was effective. He said that Christine knew about two of his affairs and he implied he had more than two and that he knew about her affairs. And he explained how they worked in jobs where they had to be gone for long periods of time and it's just what happened. But they went to marriage counseling. So yes, it sounds like him having an affair wouldn't be marriage ending. So that takes away some of that issue that or motive that you would think, well, yes, she's gonna divorce me and then I'll lose my daughter.

[T.J. Holmes]

And so you're telling me he is so in love in six weeks with the 21 year old Au pair that he hatches A master plan to kill his wife.

[Amy Robach]

And he said to that that is quote from him, that is absolutely crazy. And when he said that is absolutely crazy, the way he set it up, I hadn't thought about it. I didn't know that he had had prior affairs and so had she. So. And I didn't know that they had only been in a sexual relationship for less than two months.

[T.J. Holmes]

So again, the suggestion is that he was talking about marriage, their future with the au pair, how the au pair was going to be the new mommy and everything was going to be great. And six weeks. And in order for this plan to happen after six weeks, I'm so sure that I am going to do all of this stuff that if you're talking about reasonable doubt and just a reasonable person, that just sounds like a like far fetched.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, I was. As soon as he said it, I thought, damn, I get that. That makes sense. And I think we have heard from legal minds, people who know more about juries than we do, that when things just make sense, juries, that's what they bite on. When things don't make sense, you're like, huh? But when someone says something like he did today, that is so impactful.

[T.J. Holmes]

Two other very important points that they've been a part of this case. One, the trip to McDonald's and two, the trip to the shooting range. So do the shooting range first, Robes. That was so much made by the prosecution and the au pair. Right. He took me to the shooting range because he wants to give me a gun, wants me to learn how to shoot. And this was part of the.

[Amy Robach]

Just in case something goes wrong.

[T.J. Holmes]

There it is. Okay. Robes. He had the best fricking response to that that you can come up with. He is an IRS agent who is required to do a certain amount of practice and training time courses he has to pass on a regular basis. So he said he's a regular that goes. He says the place they went to isn't one he could frequent because it's kind of more of a beginner thing. So that's why she wanted to tag along with him because that's after their sexual relationship started and she wanted to go anywhere. He was. He explained it in a way that I was like, holy hell, I could buy that if I have to. The other side hasn't convinced me any more than you have. So that's kind of a. They're going to call a draw.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. And he also pointed out that that all happened and I guess this is all verifiable way before Anyone had gone on and created this FetLife account. So he was like, we weren't like, creating this account, hatching a plan and then going to a shooting range, which is how the prosecution made it seem. He was like, this happened way before any, you know, FetLife account was set up, before any Gmail account was set up to access a FetLife. He's like, so this. That's not. They were not even in the same timeline as it's been suggested.

[T.J. Holmes]

Rose, the point you're making seems to be the end of the prosecution case. I am their whole case. They hatched a plan to do this, and as a part of the plan, she needed to know how to operate a gun.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah.

[T.J. Holmes]

So then we'll go to the shooting range after we come up with the plan. The plan. Nothing was in place yet.

[Amy Robach]

No.

[T.J. Holmes]

When they went. So how does.

[Amy Robach]

That's verifiable.

[T.J. Holmes]

Verifia.

[Amy Robach]

Digital forensics.

[T.J. Holmes]

Yes. So. So the prosecution has a lot of work to do, at least for me. I would like for them to answer some things. We do this all the time. We listen to one side go, wow, he's going to jail. We hear the other side, wow, he's gonna walk. So we don't know how this one is necessarily. What was the second thing I said? Oh, the McDonald's trip.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, McDonald's trip.

[T.J. Holmes]

He.

[Amy Robach]

So I. Here's what I learned that I didn't know the day of the murders was his birthday.

[T.J. Holmes]

This is everything right here.

[Amy Robach]

And on top of that, and this would be verifiable, that at his job at the irs, he had a very important day at a big meeting with the bosses because he was about to execute this undercover operation.

[Bowen Yang]

And.

[Amy Robach]

And if everything went well, he was up for some big promotion.

[T.J. Holmes]

He had a presentation that day.

[Amy Robach]

He had a big presentation at 9:30. So he left early that morning, he says. And he said he often went. He never. He never made breakfast for himself before he went to work. So he would often go pick up breakfast. He happened to go through McDonald's, and he just wanted to pull off and eat and just be ready to go so he could get to his office in time to set up the conference room. He said he was fully focused on his day at work. And I just thought it was. It's his birthday and he's got a big day at work. And the following day, he was taking Valerie. He said his friends were all throwing him a big birthday party. I didn't know any of that.

[T.J. Holmes]

So this is a problem. You're telling Me? You're going to plan to kill your wife on your birthday and the day you have a huge presentation.

[Amy Robach]

That's for a big promotion at work.

[T.J. Holmes]

He cared about his job. No, that's a tough one. Again, we saying just things that make sense. That one doesn't. That he planned it. So even some strange behavior as they say, he circled the McDonald's. They made it sound like. The prosecution actually made it sound as.

[Amy Robach]

If he was buying time.

[T.J. Holmes]

Yeah. Lurking. Just sitting in the. Waiting for the call.

[Amy Robach]

Waiting for the call from the au pair to go pretend to. Yes. Walk in on something.

[T.J. Holmes]

That's their story. Fine. But sweetheart, he even had answers for. Yeah. That I circled because the app didn't work the first time and I was trying to get it to load just right so it wasn't ready the first go around. So he said a few things. Yeah, I guess so. He's had the McDonald's app for years. That's verifiable. This was. And he's barely gotten started on his testimony.

[Amy Robach]

And while he's saying all of these things, he's not. Like I said, he's not overacting. He's not. He doesn't seem rehearsed. He doesn't seem planned or robotic. He's. He just seems like a guy trying to say, hey, this is what happened.

[T.J. Holmes]

The other big win. Should I call it a win? Maybe I shouldn't go that far. But the other major headway I thought they made robes had to do with Christine's laptop. Folks, stay here. Another big, big point of this case is that laptop. Who had access to it and where it was? Well, he has testified, and the defense has once again robed. Made things make sense to me. Stare. Success starts with your drive, and American Public University is here to fuel it.

[Amy Robach]

With affordable tuition and over 200 flexible online programs, APU helps you gain the skills and confidence to move forward.

[T.J. Holmes]

Whether you're changing careers, starting fresh, or pursuing a lifelong passion. APU's programs are designed for people who never stop.

[Amy Robach]

You bring the fire. APU will fuel the journey. Learn more at apu Apus Edu.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why premier protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness. It's for Getting after life the 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions, it's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein empowers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite [e-mail] that's P R E M I E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers.

[Chelsea Handler]

This is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea, I have some very exciting news. I am always looking for companies to support that are ethical. And let's be honest, the phone companies we've all been stuck with are not that. You know, I travel constantly and supposedly I have international free roaming on Verizon, yet my phone bills are still 300, 400 and even $500 a month. It makes zero sense. So I switched to a company with actual ethics, Noble Mobile and they pay you for staying off your phone. The more you unplug, the more money you save each month and the most you'll ever pay is 50 bucks. Unlimited coverage when I need it, cash back when I don't. It was started by people I know and trust. So if you trust me and want to join my mission to stop being a phone addicted zombie, come along. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea right now and try it for just 10 bucks. That's noblemobile.com Chelsea now I'd like to.

[Cindy Crawford]

Introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin tones and types and it's designed to work as a complete skincare system system, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of melon leaf stem cell technology. Its melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the Amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our introductory five piece system, free gifts free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee. All that [e-mail].

[T.J. Holmes]

All right, we continue here on Amy and tj hopping on because Brendan Bamfield just hopped off the stand for the day. He testified in his own defense in the au pair affair trial. Accused of double murder, killing his wife. He's accused of. And another man that he lured to the house so he could have him take the rap for his wife's death. Ropes. The laptop has been key. Look, folks have been following this case. At this point, don't need to go back and get everybody fully caught up. But a big point was that he had to set up a fake FetLife, which is a fetish website, had to set up this fake account. The prosecution, the whole time has been saying they took the laptop, they snuck away with it for moments at a time and put it back before Christine ever saw it. And that's how they were able to do it. It's just not possible. According to Brendan Banfield.

[Amy Robach]

Oh, my gosh. When Brendan said this, I looked at you and I said, this makes sense because Juliana, the au pair testified that Christine would leave her backpack with her computer at the front door. And so when she would go to bed, they would then go and get the backpack and go and get the computer. Brendan said when Christine came home, she brought her backpack with her up to the master bedroom. We had a full sitting area and office area. And she brought her laptop up and would put it at the desk. He's like. But honestly, more often than not, she had it on her lap as she was leaning as she'd sit up in bed. So she'd, you know, get in for the day and she'd have her laptop on her lap in bed. And I just said, duh. That's what everybody does. They charge their laptop and they have it with them in bed or at their desk. They don't leave an uncharged computer by the door at. And you don't. You don't walk in and leave. You bring your computer with you.

[T.J. Holmes]

I mean, I guess it's possible.

[Amy Robach]

As soon as he said that, I said, oh, wow, that makes a lot of sense. He also said there's not a password of hers that. I know.

[T.J. Holmes]

Yeah, no, that was huge. I don't even know how to get into it.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah, that was believable to me. I don't know how to get into your computer. I. You know, I. Oh, wow.

[T.J. Holmes]

Yeah.

[Amy Robach]

Do you know you don't know how to get in?

[T.J. Holmes]

I know how to get into yours.

[Amy Robach]

Oh, you Do?

[T.J. Holmes]

Yeah. You look concerned.

[Amy Robach]

I'm not, no. But I actually don't know because I'm just like, hey, can I have your finger? And then I just, you know, put it in that. So I haven't even thought about it. But if. Yeah. I needed to get into your computer, I could not do it.

[T.J. Holmes]

He. I think most couples. Does that make sense that you wouldn't have it and you don't need it and especially if it's a work computer.

[Amy Robach]

No. Yeah. And he was saying. He's like, I have two devices. I have my device. He's like, we just have everything separate.

[T.J. Holmes]

So like I said. So he's on the stand now. I say he's on the stand now in that he gotta understand. What time was it today? It was a little after 3, maybe 3:30 Eastern Time. And then they ended the session today around 1. Excuse me. An hour and a half later. So he was on the stand until about 5. He's going to be back on the stand tomorrow, continuing with the defense. I can't really tell how much they've really gotten going. They only had an hour and a half. I don't know if they've gotten to all the meat and the nitty gritty yet, but that was a lot.

[Amy Robach]

There's a lot more to get to because, my goodness, now we are just at. We left off with him talking about being at McDonald's, getting the phone call from Juliana saying, there's someone, you know, what should I do? She was supposed to be going to the zoo. And he, by the way, testified that Christine set up this zoo trip. He and he and Juliana didn't concoct it like Juliana said. So anyway, she's waiting and calling him, and he tries to call Christine. She doesn't pick up. So he's talking about. And that's where it ends. We don't know what happens when he arrives at the house now, and that we know what Juliana says happened. She already testified to it. So this is going to be fascinating to hear. What he says happens and how he got up to that bedroom and what happened in that bedroom, I cannot wait to hear.

[T.J. Holmes]

I don't know what the prosecution has planned tomorrow, but it sounds like they want to give the jury instructions. What was it, late tomorrow? Oh, yeah. The prosecution said she thought they could do the jury instructions tomorrow at the end of the day. So Brendan Banfield maybe back on the stand half day tomorrow, a little more after lunch maybe, and that's going to be it.

[Amy Robach]

But that means that. Are you. Do you Believe then that the prosecution isn't going to have their way with him.

[T.J. Holmes]

They have to go to for cross examination. Or do they? I don't know there. I don't know. Now they certainly, I mean the prosecutors chomping at the bit. You get to cross examine a murder suspect. People go their whole lives and don't get this opportunity as prosecutors.

[Amy Robach]

That's so true.

[T.J. Holmes]

But even before he got on, I thought, and we have to mention the other I thought was the most critical witness of the trial outside of the au pair. This forensic guy has been up there, digital forensics guy, and robed, he made point after point after point. See, Christine's device is at the house. Their devices aren't there. Somebody at the house is using the FetLife account or this fake Google account or this other account. He is flat out saying that it is impossible that Christine did not know about those accounts.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, he said there it is impossible for this to be a cat fishing scheme.

[T.J. Holmes]

Absolutely.

[Amy Robach]

When he said that, I was blown away. And of course, yes, the prosecution went through cross examination. But I don't know that she made much headway in her cross with him.

[T.J. Holmes]

No, I didn't think so.

[Amy Robach]

And it was funny. He, he wanted nothing to do with her either, so. Yeah, but it, it was fascinating to have someone a, a respected digital forensics guy who worked for, for the Fairfax County Police Department trying to catch the bad guy reassigned because of his synopsis. It was, it was wild to hear.

[T.J. Holmes]

That example after example after example. All right, well folks, we will certainly have our eyes on this tomorrow. By all means, keep an eye on our feed. Top right corner of your Apple podcast app where you see our show page. Little button that says follow click that you make sure our updates always come to you. But this is certainly one we have our eyes and ears on closely tomorrow. Always appreciate you listening to us. For now, I'm T.J. holmes. On behalf of my dear Amy Robach, we'll talk to you all soon. Success starts with your drive, and American Public University is here to fuel it.

[Amy Robach]

With affordable tuition and over 200 flexible online programs, APU helps you gain the skills and confidence to move forward.

[T.J. Holmes]

Whether you're changing careers, starting fresh, or pursuing a lifelong passion. APU's programs are designed for people who never stop.

[Amy Robach]

You bring the fire. APU will fuel the journey. Learn more at apu Apus. Edu.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calor, no added sugar and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions, it's just for life. With a wide variety of flavors from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. It's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein empowers me to say yes to more Finds your favorite flavor@premier protein.com that's P R E M I E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers this is Chelsea Handler.

[Chelsea Handler]

From Dear Chelsea, I have some very exciting news about an ethical phone carrier. I just switched to Forget about all these other phone companies. Forget about Verizon, forget about AT&T, forget about T Mobile. There's this new carrier called Noble Mobile and they actually pay you to stay off your phone. You can earn real money, up to 20 bucks back every month just for putting your phone away. If you're like me and you're tired of feeling controlled by your phone, social media, or just disgusted by those screen time alerts, this is the answer. Go to noblemobile.com Chelsea and try it for $10. That's noblemobile.com Chelsea if you're a maintenance.

[T.J. Holmes]

Supervisor for a commercial property, you've had to deal with everything from leaky faucets to flickering light bulbs. But nothing's worse than that ancient boiler that's lived in the building since the day it was built 50 years ago. It's enough to make anyone lose their cool. That's where Grainger comes in. With industrial grade products and dependable, fast delivery, Grainger can help with any challenge, from worn out components to everyday necessities. Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Amy Robach]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.