Michigan husband on bodycam. Trial of former college football player. Plus, stadium safety tips.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly

Episode Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Lester Holt
Episode Focus: Michigan husband on trial for wife’s murder, the trial of a former college football player, and expert tips on stadium safety.

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Episode Overview

This week’s episode, hosted by Lester Holt, dives deep into three major true crime stories making news:

1. The Michigan trial of Dale Warner, accused of murdering his wife Dee Warner and concealing her body on the family farm.
2. The long-awaited trial of Rashawn Jones, a former Miami Hurricanes football player, charged in the 20-year-old murder of teammate Bryan Pata.
3. Updates on major verdicts, including an au pair’s role in a double murder, and safety guidelines for attending large sports events.

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1. Michigan Husband on Trial for Wife’s Murder

The Disappearance of Dee Warner (02:23–10:20)

Background

• Dee Warner: 52, mother, grandmother, and business owner, vanished April 25, 2021, from her Lenawee County, Michigan home.
• Dale Warner (husband): Claimed Dee had a history of leaving home voluntarily despite family insisting her disappearance was highly out of character.

Investigation

• Lester Holt (02:51): “Please listen closely to this story because it could be the key to unlocking the mystery of what really happened to Deanne Warner.”
• Investigators found Dale obsessively tracked Dee’s car’s GPS and OnStar, countering his claims of ignorance as to her whereabouts.
• Sergei Ivanin (03:56–04:29): “Dee was constantly on her phone…in regular contact with her family.”
• No camera footage showed Dee leaving the property.

Breakthrough

• In August 2024, after two years, Dee’s remains found in a welded, sealed anhydrous ammonia tank labeled “do not use” (05:46).
• Autopsy: strangulation and blunt force trauma.

The Trial

• Prosecution:

  • Rooted in digital evidence (GPS tracking), footage of Dale gathering welding supplies after Dee’s disappearance, and moving the tank during police searches.
  • Brad Davis (06:13): “Her face and neck were wrapped in duct tape. She was wrapped in a tarp, welded into a tank.”
  • Motive: Marital strife, control, and financial loss due to Dee’s threat of divorce and business sale.
  • Brad Davis (07:44): “She went home to tell her husband... that the marriage was over... She was never seen or heard from again.”

• Key Testimony:

  • Dee’s children painted a picture of an unhappy, tense marriage.
  • Vicki Nguyen (08:24):
    • Q: “What would [your mom] do?”
    • A: “Almost freeze.”

• Defense:

  • Argues lack of direct evidence; disputes children’s depiction of the marriage.
  • Vicki Nguyen (09:57): “Consider very carefully if what the government is actually presenting to you is actual evidence of murder or... speculation.”

• Expected trial duration: 7–9 weeks (10:13).

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2. The Trial of Former College Football Player Rashawn Jones

The Bryan Pata Case (12:09–19:27)

The Murder

• In 2006, University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was shot in the back of the head outside his apartment after practice.
• Jay Young (13:49): “He was one of nine kids... big personality... destined to play in the NFL.”
• Lester Holt (12:53): “Two weeks before the game, the Hurricane's 22-year-old defensive lineman Bryan Pata had been shot... The murder made national headlines.”

Years with No Arrests

• Police interviewed 100+ people; no breaks for 15 years.
• Pata’s family pleaded for tips for over a decade.
  • Pata’s mother, 2017 (15:03): “We waited so long to find the answer, who killed my son.”

Revisiting the Case

• ESPN investigation leads to renewed scrutiny, revealing Rashawn Jones, teammate, as a longtime person of interest.
• Motive: Jealousy over playing time/girlfriend (Brian’s girlfriend Jada Brody also involved).

Evidence

• No significant forensic evidence from 2006.
• Key evidence:
  • A neighbor/professor at Brian’s apartment placed Jones at the scene, but as he’s now in his 80s with fading memory, only his pre-recorded video testimony will be used (16:53).
• Defense Concerns:
  • No opportunity to cross-examine the eyewitness.
  • Jones turned down 15-year plea deal: Jay Young (17:31):
    • “Dismissal is the only thing I’m willing to accept. Deep down in my heart, I know I’m innocent.”

In the Courtroom

• Family and friends fill the benches.
• Atmosphere described as ‘somber’ (17:56).
• Prosecution: Argues all evidence points to Jones.
  • Vicki Nguyen (18:30): “You will hear that... it kept coming back to one person.”
• Defense: Argues no new evidence justifies the indictment.
• Emotional burden for the Pata family after two decades.

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3. Dateline Roundup: Recent Verdicts and Sentencing

The Brazilian Au Pair Double Murder (21:24–24:05)

• Case Details: Juliana Perez Magalhe, a Brazilian au pair, conspired with her lover, Brendan Banfield, to murder his wife and lure a man, Joe Ryan, for a setup and murder.
• Brad Davis (21:47): “She pleaded guilty to manslaughter for her role.”
• At sentencing, Joe Ryan's mother gave an emotional statement:
  • Vicki Nguyen (22:58): “So many sleepless nights. So many nightmares of his brutal murder... My son's life was seen as worthless and utterly disposable.”
• The judge imposed 10 years in prison + 2 years probation, rejecting the prosecution’s recommendation for time served.
  • Judge (paraphrased by Brad Davis, 23:31): “Until today, you have shown no empathy for the victim... Your actions were deliberate, self-serving, and demonstrated a profound disregard for human life.”

New Jersey Family Murders Verdict (24:05–25:20)

• Paul Canero: Found guilty of murdering his brother, brother’s wife, and nephews, after damning evidence recovered.
  • Sergei Ivanin (25:07): “No matter how hard you try... to explain it away or give alternative theories... he’s just guilty.”
• Jury verdict: Guilty on all 16 charges.
• Sentencing scheduled for May 12th.

Georgia Law Student Murder (25:39–26:15)

• Edric Fost: Convicted in 25-year-old cold case for the murder of Tara Baker.
• Lester Holt (26:06): “The jury finds the defendant on the following counts, count one, malice murder, guilty.”

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4. Stadium & Event Safety Tips (27:06–30:39)

Expert: Vicki Nguyen

Common Crimes at Events

• Pickpocketing in and outside stadiums.
  • “You want to pay attention to the areas outside of those big events... people who are out there looking for you not to be paying attention.” (27:18)

Protection Strategies

• Leave valuables at home.
• Use anti-theft bags with slash-resistant material, locking zippers, and RFID-blocking pockets to deter card-skimming thieves.
• Be alert to group distractions used by thieves.

Violence in Stands

• Keep a positive attitude and avoid escalating tensions with rival fans (28:50).
• Know how to contact stadium security; use posted hotlines.

Emergency Preparedness

• Familiarize yourself with exits and seat maps before arriving (29:21).

Child Safety

• Dress kids in bright, easily identifiable clothing.
• Discuss who is responsible for watching the child.
• Teach kids to seek help from those in uniform or other families if separated, and rehearse safety scenarios.
  • Vicki Nguyen (29:48): “It is a gut punch because those kids are fast and next thing you know they’re not holding your hand anymore.”

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Dee Warner Case

• “Her face and neck were wrapped in duct tape. She was wrapped in a tarp, welded into a tank.”
  — Brad Davis (06:13)
• “Uncomfortable.”
  — Brad Davis, describing Dee’s reaction to Dale (08:24)
• “This isn’t the first time she’s done this, guys...”
  — Bodycam clip of Dale Warner (09:13)

On the Pata/Pata Family Case

• “We waited so long to find the answer, who killed my son.”
  — Mrs. Pata, mother of Bryan Pata (15:03)
• “Dismissal is the only thing I’m willing to accept. Deep down in my heart, I know I’m innocent.”
  — Rashawn Jones (17:31)
• "It was really somber. We had the Pata family sitting on one side of the courtroom… They took up practically half the courtroom."
  — Jay Young (17:56)

On Stadium Safety

• “This should not become a matter of life and death.”
  — Vicki Nguyen (06:17)
• “Do you really need to wear your fanciest jewelry or your best watch to this game or this concert?”
  — Vicki Nguyen (27:44)
• “If you get lost... I want you to look for someone who’s in a uniform. Or I want you to look for another mommy with kids.”
  — Vicki Nguyen (30:21)

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6. Timestamps for Key Segments

• Michigan Husband on Trial: 02:23–10:20
• Miami University Football Murder (Pata Case): 12:09–19:27
• Sentencing and Verdict Roundup: 21:17–26:15
• Stadium Safety Tips: 27:06–30:39

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For Updates

Check Dateline Premium or your preferred podcast app for full episodes and breaking details.

Transcript

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Psycho Killer in theaters this Friday.

[Lester Holt]

You're him.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

From a twisted writer of 7 and 8 millimeter and the producers of Barbarian and a producer of weapons. Psycho Killer is coming for you.

[Vicki Nguyen]

He's already here.

[Sergei Ivanin]

We need to move.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Meet your new nightmare. The party has just begun. Psycho Killer. Rated R under 17. Not admitted without parent. Only in theaters Friday.

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[Jay Young]

Okay, I think I see everybody.

[Lester Holt]

It's time for the Dateline story meeting.

[Brad Davis]

We'll go ahead and get started.

[Lester Holt]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news.

[Jay Young]

It sounds like they solved it pretty quickly.

[Vicki Nguyen]

I find it totally fascinating. I want to see all those tapes and read all those text messages. It took them a long time to get dressed as.

[Lester Holt]

Welcome to Dateline True Crime Weekly. I'm LESTER HOLT. It's February 19th, and here's what's on our docket. In Miami, 20 years after a college football player was gunned down on the way home from practice, one of his teammates is on trial for his murder.

[Jay Young]

Well, in the arrest warrant, they suggested that Jones was envious of Brian.

[Lester Holt]

In Deadline Roundup, a verdict in the case of the New Jersey businessman accused of murdering his own brother and three other family members. And emotions run high at the sentencing of the au pair at the heart of a bizarre double murder.

[Brad Davis]

By the end of these statements, Juliana was wiping her eyes and crying.

[Lester Holt]

Plus, the Winter Olympics are wrapping up soon, but more big sporting events are on the horizon. NBC News, Vicki Nguyen is here with some tips on stadium safety.

[Vicki Nguyen]

You are here to have a good time to cheer on your team. This should not become a matter of life and death.

[Lester Holt]

Before all that, we're headed to Michigan, where the trial of a farmer accused of murdering his wife and then concealing her body in a fertilizer tank is underway. Back in April 2021, 52 year old grandmother Dee Warner vanished from the home she shared with her husband, Dale. The case quickly made local headlines and eventually made its way to us. Please listen closely to this story because

[Jay Young]

it could be the key to unlocking

[Lester Holt]

the mystery of what really happened to Deanne Warner. Josh Mankiewicz covered Dee's disappearance as part of our DATELINE Missing in America series. Family members told us they desperate for answers.

[Brad Davis]

There was just something in my gut that told me something was really wrong.

[Lester Holt]

And they told us they suspected Dee's husband Dale had murdered her. Investigators were suspicious, too. Two years later, in November 2023, even though her body had not been found, Dale was arrested and charged with Dee's murder. Then in August 2024, investigators found human remains inside a sealed tank on a property tied to the family. It was Dee. Now, nearly five years after Dee disappeared, Dale Warner is facing a jury. He has pleaded not guilty. DATELINE producer Sergei Ivanin has been following the trial closely. Sergei, thanks for joining us.

[Sergei Ivanin]

Glad to be here.

[Lester Holt]

Lester, Sergey, remind us who Dee was and what happened when she disappeared.

[Sergei Ivanin]

So Dee Warner was a successful 52 year old mother, grandmother and business owner, well known in the community. She and her husband, they own a successful trucking company and a fertile and they lived on this large farming property in Lenawee county. So on April 25, 2021, one of her adult children goes to her house to have a Sunday breakfast and cannot find her anywhere. They cannot reach her. And that was highly unusual. Dee was constantly on her phone calling and texting and in regular contact with her family.

[Lester Holt]

So I'm curious what Dale was telling investigators.

[Sergei Ivanin]

He said that Dee had left home many times before. There was a pattern of leaving and implying disappearance was actually voluntary. He acknowledged there are some marital issues and said they fought the night before and suggested she probably went to her son's house as she usually would.

[Lester Holt]

Sergei, at that point, investigators didn't have a body. So how were they able to build a strong enough case to arrest him anyway?

[Sergei Ivanin]

According to court records and testimony, investigators uncovered a bunch of digital evidence they believe was significant and pointing to Dale. They found him repeatedly accessing the GPS and OnStar tracking systems that connected to Dee's cars multiple times, hundreds, even thousands of times. And to them, that was a pattern of him trying to control and keep track of where she was. Prosecutors claim that that level of monitoring doesn't really line up with the idea that Dale had no idea what Dee was or that she had simply left on her own. And in fact, the cameras on the farm didn't show Dee leaving anywhere at any time at any point on that weekend.

[Lester Holt]

So Dan was behind bars when investigators made that huge breakthrough in the case and found Dee's body. How did they find it?

[Sergei Ivanin]

In August of 2024, investigators removed their large anhydrous ammonia tank from a property that was tied to the family. It was marked do not use and had suspicious weld marks. They brought out a portable x ray machine, and when they looked inside, they found these remains. And. And we got to see that X ray photo for the first time at the trial. It was very chilling.

[Brad Davis]

Her face and neck were wrapped in duct tape. She was wrapped in a tarp, welded into a tank.

[Sergei Ivanin]

And an autopsy determined Dee had died from strangulation and blunt force trauma to her head and face.

[Lester Holt]

What a horrific image that must have been. So let's fast forward to the trial if we can. You were in the courtroom for opening statements. How did the prosecution begin its case?

[Sergei Ivanin]

The prosecution strategy was a classic Connect the dots, opening. They connected. Digital searches, video the tank conduct during the search warrant.

[Brad Davis]

In addition to looking at all the evidence that I just showed you, you're gonna be able to compare the statements that Dale made to the police.

[Sergei Ivanin]

And here's something we didn't know before. They said that surveillance footage showed Dale gathering welding supplies around the time she had disappeared. It was also caught on body cam. According to prosecutors, he was his wife's body under the noses of law enforcement who had come to investigate her disappearance.

[Brad Davis]

And you also see that he moves a tank while the police are searching.

[Lester Holt]

What are they saying is the alleged motive?

[Sergei Ivanin]

Prosecutors say that this case centers around money and control. Dee, according to her children, was done. Dee had been talking about divorce on and off. But this time, she really meant it. She wanted to sell the trucking business. She was done with it. And if that were to happen, Dale stood to lose financially. And, of course, according to prosecutors, that fear of losing financially escalated into violence.

[Brad Davis]

She went home to tell her husband, the defendant, that the marriage was over. They were selling their businesses, and they were through. She was never seen or heard from again.

[Lester Holt]

The prosecution's first witnesses were mostly Dee's kids from an earlier marriage. Why do you think the prosecution wanted the jury to hear from them first?

[Sergei Ivanin]

The first few days were really about painting a picture of the marriage and of Dee's final weekend. Dee's children described that relationship as fraught with fights.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Did you have a chance to observe your mom's reactions to Dale when, if they would be fighting and he would try to give her a massage or touch her?

[Brad Davis]

Yes.

[Vicki Nguyen]

All right. And can you describe those reactions?

[Brad Davis]

Uncomfortable.

[Vicki Nguyen]

What do you mean by uncomfortable? What would she do? Almost freeze.

[Sergei Ivanin]

They said Dia talked about divorce several times before, but this time it was different.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Had she talked about divorce with you before?

[Brad Davis]

Yes.

[Vicki Nguyen]

But this was the first you were hearing about selling the business?

[Brad Davis]

Yes.

[Sergei Ivanin]

Dee's daughter, Raquel Bach, when she took the stand, she described her mom as a shell of herself that weekend.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Did you recognize the clothing that she was found in?

[Brad Davis]

Yes.

[Vicki Nguyen]

And what. What was she wearing?

[Brad Davis]

Pajamas.

[Sergei Ivanin]

And she told jurors that Dee would have never left the house in pajamas or without her makeup or hair done. So this is something that prosecutors wanted to emphasize.

[Lester Holt]

The prosecutors also showed body cam of Dale talking to sheriff's deputies when they came to investigate Dee's disappear appearance. So the jury got to hear Dale in his own words through that.

[Jay Young]

This isn't the first time she's done this, guys. The first thing is she's not communicating with anybody. But the only thing that's really strange, too, is this time she put her

[Lester Holt]

wedding ring in the desk.

[Sergei Ivanin]

Prosecutors are pointing to the gap between what Dale told deputies and the digital record, which shows no travel, no phone activity, no financial movement.

[Lester Holt]

So tell me how the defense is fighting back.

[Sergei Ivanin]

So the defense is saying the state's case is built on circumstantial evidence, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. They argue there is no direct evidence Dale had committed the murder. They challenged family members on how they characterized the marriage. In fact, none of the kids said that they saw any physical violence between the two.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Consider very carefully if what the government is actually presenting to you is actual evidence of murder or something that they are theorizing and speculating is evidence of murder.

[Lester Holt]

This feels like it could be a long trial. How long do they expect it to last?

[Sergei Ivanin]

The trial is expected to last between seven and nine weeks, and I expect it to conclude in late March.

[Lester Holt]

Sergei, thanks so much.

[Sergei Ivanin]

Pleasure to be here.

[Lester Holt]

Coming up, a college football player is on trial for the murder of his teammate 20 years ago.

[Jay Young]

Adobe Acrobat Studio, your team's home base. Collaborate within a shared PDF space. You've got your docs, your plans, your specs, and then invite the crew to build what's next. Talk up the teamwork. Here's an updated render. They think that this design could be a contender, but when somebody wonders what's

[Lester Holt]

the next step, AI helps you finish the rest.

[Jay Young]

Bolts are tight now. Your plan's refined. Run a smoother business when you're all aligned. Do that with Acrobat. Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat Psycho

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Killer in theaters this Friday. Hear him from a twisted writer of 7 and 8 millimeter and the producers of Barbarian and a producer of weapons. Psycho Killer is coming for you.

[Vicki Nguyen]

He's already here. We need to move.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Meet your new nightmare. The party has just begun. Psycho killer. Rated R under 17. Not admitted without parent. Only in theaters Friday.

[Lowe's Advertiser]

When it's time to replace your appliances, Lowe's has you covered. Get up to 35% off select major appliances and members get more. Like free delivery, hallway, basic installation and parts and a two year Lowe's protection plan where you spend $2,500 or more on select major appliances. Our best lineup is here at Lowe's. Valid through 225 while supplies last selection varies by location. Excludes Massachusetts, Maryland, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Florida. Loyalty program. Subject to terms and conditions. Visit lowe's.com terms for details. Subject to change.

[Jay Young]

And once again, welcome to College Football PrimeTime. The first ACC meeting between former Big east rivals Boston College, still on the hunt to win the conference title, and Miami.

[Lester Holt]

You're listening to ESPN of the 2006 Thanksgiving Day matchup between the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Boston College Eagles. But something more than a friendly rivalry was in the air that night. As players took to the field, there was also a profound sense of grief. Look at this moment here. Brian Potter's image, the slain Hurricane teammate, a banner that fans made and the

[Jay Young]

team gathering around it at midfield.

[Lester Holt]

What a moment. Just two weeks before the game, the Hurricane's 22 year old defensive lineman Brian Pata had been shot in the back of the head on his way home from a football practice. The murder made national headlines. But for 15 years there were no arrests until in August 2021, Rashawn Jones, one of those players who had gathered on the field to remember Brian, was charged with murder. Jones insists he had nothing to do with Brian's death. On Wednesday, his trial began. DATELINE producer Jay Young was in the courtroom and is there to get us up to speed. Hi Jay. Thanks for coming on.

[Jay Young]

Thanks for having me, Lester.

[Lester Holt]

So, Jay, before we get into the drama that's going on inside the courtroom, let's rewind a little bit and talk about Brian Petta. For people who don't follow college football, remind us what a big deal he was both on and off the field.

[Jay Young]

He was raised here in Miami. He was one of nine kids, the youngest and for the most part, he was raised by a single parent, his mother, Jeanette Pata. He had a bigger than life personality and he was talented. Being a defensive lineman for the University of Miami Hurricanes, that's huge. Everyone knew he was destined to play in the NFL.

[Lester Holt]

So what do we know about the night Brian was Murdered.

[Jay Young]

Brian was heading home from practice that night. It was about 7pm and he got out of his car and then was shot in the back of the head. His girlfriend, Jada Brody, discovered Brian on the ground, unresponsive and bleeding on a walkway near his car.

[Lester Holt]

Jay, in those early days of the investigation, police had a lot of leads to look into, didn't they?

[Jay Young]

They did. Police interviewed more than 100 people in this case, but all that work ultimately led to no arrests. As the time ticked by, years passed.

[Lester Holt]

Brian Pata's family pleaded for tips at a press conference held by police in 2017. That's 11 years after the shooting. Let's take a listen to a clip of that presser from Local 10, an ABC affiliate.

[Jay Young]

You know, we waited so long to

[Lester Holt]

find the answer, who killed my son.

[Jay Young]

We believe that somebody has to know who was involved.

[Lester Holt]

If you know anything, just do the right thing. So, Jay, the case seemed really stuck. But then a team of reporters at ESPN started digging into it. Is there a sense that they were somehow able to shake things loose?

[Jay Young]

Yeah, there was, Lester. One of the big things they uncovered was that investigators had person of interest in the case from very early on. None other than Brian's teammate, Rashawn Jones.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah, not long after this all came out, Rashawn Jones was arrested. Did investigators explain what they thought Jones's alleged motive might have been?

[Jay Young]

Well, in the arrest warrant, they shared that there was tension between Brian and Rashawn, and they suggested that Jones was envious of Brian, that Brian was doing better in his career. And remember Brian's girlfriend who discovered his body, Jada Brody? Well, it turns out that Jones had been interested in her at one point, and investigators say that was just one more reason for Jones to be jealous of Brian.

[Lester Holt]

Did investigators find any forensic or physical evidence connecting Jones to the crime?

[Jay Young]

No, there really wasn't much at this crime scene. They did have a little bit of cell phone evidence. But keep in mind, this was back in 2006. So cell phone technology was, relatively speaking, rudimentary. But one of the biggest breaks they got was an eyewitness who placed Jones at the scene. It was a professor who lived in the same apartment complex as Brian, and he said he heard a shot that night. Then he said he saw a man walking briskly past him. He later identified that man as Rashawn Jones in a photo lineup.

[Lester Holt]

An eyewitness. That sounds like a big break. So presumably, that person is a key witness for the prosecution at the trial.

[Jay Young]

Well, interestingly, that eyewitness is now in his 80s, and he doesn't remember the details of the case all that well. The judge isn't going to allow him to testify, but she will allow the prosecution to introduce a video of his testimony that was taken a few years ago back in 2022 at a pre trial hearing.

[Lester Holt]

How's that going over with the defense?

[Jay Young]

Well, honestly, they're not. They're not happy about it. They want an opportunity to cross examine the eyewitness in front of a jury, but they won't have that opportunity.

[Lester Holt]

It's interesting that before trial, Rashawn Jones rejected what many would say was a pretty sweet deal.

[Jay Young]

Yeah, he did. Prosecutors offered him a 15 year sentence. And considering he had been behind bars for five, that would mean he would serve 10 years. But he turned down that plea offer, saying, dismissal is the only thing I'm willing to accept. Deep down in my heart, I know I'm innocent.

[Lester Holt]

So take us deeper inside the courtroom. At the start of the trial, what was the atmosphere like?

[Jay Young]

Well, it was really somber. We had the Pata family sitting on one side of the courtroom, all eight siblings, friends, and of course, his mother, Jeanette Pata, sitting in a wheelchair. They took up practically half the courtroom. On the other side, you have Rashawn Jones. He's sitting at the defense table flanked by his team of attorneys.

[Lester Holt]

So did we learn anything from the opening remarks as to where this goes?

[Jay Young]

Well, prosecution basically said to the jury, all the evidence is pointing to one man, and that man is Rashawn Jones.

[Vicki Nguyen]

You will hear that regardless of where this investigation took detectives, it kept coming back to one person.

[Jay Young]

As for the defense, they said investigators had a chance to arrest Rashawn Jones years ago, but that the state attorney's office refused to indict, basically because they felt they didn't have sufficient evidence. And the defense is asking, what new evidence do they possibly have to justify that their client is sitting in a courtroom.

[Lester Holt]

Yeah. The thing that has always struck me about this case is the passage of time you talked about years ago. That has to be so hard on the families.

[Jay Young]

Yeah, it is. This is a really tough case. It's been 20 long years since his murder and no closure. And that waiting game has been excruciating.

[Brad Davis]

Yeah.

[Lester Holt]

All right, Jay, we're going to check back in as testimony gets underway. Thank you for being on.

[Jay Young]

Thank you, Lester.

[Lester Holt]

Up next, it's time for Dateline Roundup. The Brazilian au pair who pleaded guilty for her role in a double murder plot learns her fate. And we've got verdicts in two big Murder trials to catch you up on plus stadium safety. Things to think about before you attend your next big event.

[Jay Young]

Choose to lean into it.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Every Mazda is engineered to give you effortless control.

[Lester Holt]

I'll wake up.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Psycho Killer in theaters this Friday.

[Jay Young]

You're him.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

From a twisted writer of 7 and 8 millimeter and the producers of Barbarian and a producer of weapons. Psycho Killer is coming for you.

[Vicki Nguyen]

He's already here.

[Sergei Ivanin]

We need to move.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Meet your new nightmare.

[Lester Holt]

The party has just begun.

[Movie Trailer Announcer]

Psycho Killer. Rated R under 17. Not admitted without parent only in theaters Friday.

[Jay Young]

Adobe Acrobat Studio, your team's home base. Collaborate within a shared PDF space. You've got your docs, your plans, your specs, and then invite the crew to build what's next. Talk up the teamwork. They think that this design could be a contender. When somebody wonders what's the next steps, AI helps you finish the rest. Bolts are tight now. Your plan's refined. Run a smoother business.

[Lester Holt]

When you're all aligned, do that with Acrobat.

[Lowe's Advertiser]

Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat.

[Lester Holt]

Welcome back. Joining us for this week's roundup is Dateline producer Brad Davis. Welcome to the show, Bradley.

[Brad Davis]

Glad to be here, Lesser.

[Lester Holt]

All right, well, for our first story, we're off to a Virginia courthouse for the latest in a bizarre double homicide involving a former IRS agent and his family au pair. Just a few weeks ago, a jury convicted Brendan banfield for the 2023 murder of both his wife Christine and a man by the name of Joe Ryan. So what's new on this one, Brad?

[Brad Davis]

Well, as you know, Lester, before Brendan's trial, the au pair, a young Brazilian woman by the name of Juliana Perez Magalhe, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter for her role in the murders, and her sentencing was on Friday.

[Lester Holt]

Okay, and before we get to what happened in the sentencing, just remind everyone of what the au pair admitted to doing.

[Brad Davis]

Right. So prosecutors allege Brendan Banfield and Juliana, the au pair, were having an affair. Brendan came up with this elaborate murder plot to kill his wife, Christine, and then frame a stranger for it. Juliana admitted that she helped Brendan lure Joe Ryan, a man they met on a fetish website, to the Banfield home with the promise of a sexual encounter with Christine. Once Joe Ryan got there, Juliana says Brendan shot him and then she did, too.

[Lester Holt]

So let's go back and take a look at that sentencing last week. What happened?

[Brad Davis]

Joe Ryan's mother gave an emotional statement by video describing the impact of his murder on her and his family. So many sleepless nights. So many nightmares of his brutal murder. So many screams and guttural cries into

[Vicki Nguyen]

my pillow, feeling the loss of my son. My son's life was seen as worthless and utterly disposable.

[Lester Holt]

Joe didn't deserve to be used

[Sergei Ivanin]

and thrown away.

[Brad Davis]

His aunt was next on the witness stand, and she told the judge what Joe was like as a little boy and then as a young man. By the end of these statements, Juliana was wiping her eyes and crying.

[Lester Holt]

So, Brad, the prosecutors recommended Juliana receive time served. What did she get?

[Brad Davis]

Well, the judge ignored the recommendation of the prosecutors and she threw the book at Juliana. She sentenced her to 10 years in prison with an additional two years on probation. And she explained why. Until today, you have shown no empathy for the victim. In this case, the plan did not work without your full involvement. Your actions were deliberate, self serving, and demonstrated a profound disregard for human life. So let's get straight. You do not deserve anything other than incarceration and a life of reflection on what you have done to the victim in this family. May it weigh heavily on your soul.

[Lester Holt]

Brendan Banfield's sentencing is set for May 8th. And since he was found guilty on aggravated murder charges, he is audited, automatically sentenced to life in prison. Next up, we've got two verdicts and cases we've been covering on the podcast recently. Let's start with the trial of Paul Canero, the New Jersey businessman accused of murdering four of his own family members back in 2018. His brother Keith, his brother's wife, and their two children, Brad. Before the case made its way into the hands of the jury, they heard closing arguments. The defense was up first. How did they close out their case?

[Brad Davis]

Well, the defense said there just wasn't enough evidence to convict Paul. They said it didn't make sense that Paul would suddenly flip out and kill his own family over something that wasn't really that much money. They said that investigators should have been looking into Paul's other brother as a possible suspect.

[Lester Holt]

Then it was the prosecution's turn.

[Brad Davis]

Yeah, the prosecution reminded the jury about the evidence found in Paul's basement after the murders. Some jeans that were burned and had the children's blood on them.

[Sergei Ivanin]

No matter how hard you try to

[Jay Young]

explain it away or give alternative theories

[Sergei Ivanin]

to why is Kanice's DNA is in his basement.

[Lester Holt]

He's not the unluckiest man in the

[Vicki Nguyen]

world, ladies and gentlemen.

[Sergei Ivanin]

He's just guilty.

[Lester Holt]

What did the jury decide?

[Brad Davis]

After five hours of deliberation, they had a verdict. Guilty on all 16 charges.

[Lester Holt]

When will he be sentenced?

[Brad Davis]

That's scheduled for May 12, and he faces a maximum of multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

[Lester Holt]

Okay. And our second verdict came in on Tuesday in a Georgia courtroom. This was the trial of the man accused of murdering law student Tara Baker 25 years ago. What happened there, Brad?

[Brad Davis]

The judge there warned observers in the courtroom not to make any disruption when the verdict was read. So according to our DATELINE team in court, the room was quiet when the foreperson announced the verdict. The jury finds the defendant on the

[Lester Holt]

following counts, count one, malice murder, guilty.

[Brad Davis]

And Edric Fost was found guilty on all counts.

[Lester Holt]

All right. Well, thanks for the updates, Brad.

[Brad Davis]

You bet.

[Lester Holt]

Well, our final story this week takes us back to the Winter Olympics. Over the past two weeks, hundreds of thousands of spectators have packed arenas to watch the Games. According to organizers, a record number attended the opening ceremony. Thousands more will attend the closing ceremony on Sunday. But it made us wonder about safety. Research shows that alongside the joy and excitement of attending such a large public event comes an increased risk of being robbed or worse. So with baseball season around the corner and music festivals on the horizon, we asked NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicki Nguyen to give us some safety tips. Vicki, thanks so much for joining us.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Always great to be with you, Lester.

[Lester Holt]

First thing, attending a stadium event, it's pretty exciting to be there with all the people you're walking the stadium, all this activity. What type of crime should people be on the lookout for?

[Vicki Nguyen]

Petty crimes, for sure. Lester. Like pickpocketing. It's common not only in the stadium, but really you want to pay attention to the areas outside of those big events, people who are out there looking for you not to be paying attention, looking for you to be distracted. So it is really important that you've got a high level of situational awareness.

[Lester Holt]

All right. Well, let's talk advice. What are some ways that you can keep yourself safe from, say, pickpockets?

[Vicki Nguyen]

The first thing I would advise is make sure that you leave all your valuables at home. Do you really need to wear your fanciest jewelry or your best watch to this game or this concert that you're going to? The other thing to think about is making sure that you've got a secure bag. They have these things Lester, called anti theft bags. The material is slash resistant. Like nobody can come up and just like cut open the bag and get your wallet out of it. Right. They also come with a locking zipper and something called an RFID blocking pocket. There are these devices that the bad guys will use nowadays that can scan your credit Cards. So you want to make sure that your cell phone and your tablets, things like that, are actually in an RFID blocking pocket. And watch out for people who are creating distractions. Sometimes these thieves will work in a group, right? One group is creating some kind of distraction while another group is going through and cleaning house.

[Lester Holt]

This doesn't really happen often, but you do hear about violence in the stands, from brawls to something more serious. Any advice in dealing with those sorts of things?

[Vicki Nguyen]

First, go in with the right attitude. You are here to have a good time to cheer on your team. If you're in an area with a lot of rival fans, be aware of your surroundings. If you're noticing people are getting agitated, don't add to it by antagonizing them even more. Make sure you're aware of the in stadium security hotlines. Those can be the quickest way to get the security guards to help you if there is anything happening in your section.

[Lester Holt]

And then there's just the risk of being with so many people in a confined space. If you might need to get out

[Vicki Nguyen]

quickly, I recommend people study a seating map before they even go to that venue. You want to know where the nearest exits are to your seat. Are they behind you? Are they in front of you? And then making sure that you understand where stadium security is posted.

[Lester Holt]

If you're going to a stadium with a child, how do you make sure they stay safe as well? I remember years ago taking my kids to a circus and suddenly it was like, who has the little one? I thought you had the little one. You know, it was that moment of panic.

[Vicki Nguyen]

I think it's happened probably to every well intentioned parent and it is a gut punch because those kids are fast and next thing you know they're not holding your hand anymore. The first thing I would say before you leave the house, if possible, dress your kid in something that's really bright, colorful, something that will make them easy for you to spot in a crowd. Obviously. Keep your eyes on them or assign a parent or a guardian. Don't just assume the other parent is watching the kid. Right? Talk to your child in an age appropriate way if they're little ones and you tell them, hey, if you get lost or separated from mommy or daddy, I want you to look for someone who's in a uniform. Or I want you to look for another mommy with kids. And remind your children, no matter what, not to go anywhere with a stranger. It's okay to be rude to say, no, I can't go with you. I think it's very important to rehearse these scenarios with your kids and make sure they're comfortable saying this out loud.

[Lester Holt]

Well, this has been very, very helpful. Vicki, thanks very much.

[Vicki Nguyen]

Thank you so much for having me. Lester.

[Lester Holt]

That's it for this episode of dateline True Crime Weekly. One final note before we go. We wanted to bring you the latest on the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84 year old mother of our friend and colleague Savannah. Investigators say Nancy was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home in the early morning hours of February 1st. On Monday, the Pima county sheriff announced that all of Guthrie's family members, including the siblings and their spouses, have been cleared as possible suspects. This comes a week after the FBI released the extraordinary footage recovered from Nancy's nest security camera. It showed a potential suspect in the case, a man the FBI estimates is of average build between 5' 9 and 510 inches tall and was wearing an Ozark Trail hiker backpack. If you have any information or tips about Nancy's disappearance, you can call the FBI tip line at 1-800-call-FBI. And of course, our thoughts continue to be with Savannah and her family at this difficult time. Thanks for listening, everyone. DATELINE True Crime Weekly is produced by Carson Cummins, Caroline Casey and Keani Reed. Our associate producers are Ella Gladstone Groth and Aria Young. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff. Production and fact checking help by Audrey Abrahams. Veronica Mazakeb is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound engineer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of dateline.

[Jay Young]

See you later everybody.

[Lester Holt]

Choose to show up with the bold styling of the Mazda CX30.