Legally Brunette: Ohio Dentist Murders & The Au Pair Affair

Summary

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Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge

Episode: Legally Brunette: Ohio Dentist Murders & The Au Pair Affair
Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: Emily Simpson & Shane Simpson

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Overview

In this episode of Legally Brunette, Emily Simpson and her husband Shane take listeners on a deep dive into two major true crime cases currently making headlines: the Ohio Dentist Murders and the sensational Au Pair Affair. With their signature blend of legal analysis, pop culture references, and playful banter, the Simpsons dissect the facts, legal twists, and human stories behind each case.

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I. Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni Lawsuit Update (02:58 – 09:09)

Key Discussion Points:

• Blake Lively’s New Legal Representation:

  • Blake Lively has retained attorney Sigrid McCauley for her upcoming trial against Justin Baldoni.
  • McCauley is known for representing victims in high-profile cases and was previously involved with Lively’s publicist Leslie Sloan, who had faced (now dismissed) countersuit allegations.

• Background of the Dispute:

  • The legal feud began in December 2024 when Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us.
  • Baldoni countersued for defamation and extortion, claiming Lively was trying to wrest creative control—his counterclaim was dismissed in June 2025.
  • The trial is scheduled for May 2026.

• Deposition Highlights:

  • Baldoni alleges Lively referred to her home office as “Buckingham Palace,” underscoring her “ego.”
  • A confrontation involving Ryan Reynolds and alleged witness Taylor Swift escalated during a creative meeting at Lively’s home.

• The Weight Comment Incident:

  • Baldoni asked about Lively’s weight for supposed professional reasons (stage combat/lifting for back problems), a point now at the center of the harassment claims.

Memorable Quotes:

"My opinion of him and of Blake Lively has not changed at all... I think this man is being railroaded by someone who just wanted creative control of a film and has made sexual harassment claims against him without, from what I have seen, substantial evidence."
— Emily Simpson (06:09)

“Note, don’t ask Shane how tall he is.”
— Emily Simpson, after joking about being sued for personal questions (09:03)

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II. The Ohio Dentist Murders (13:32 – 35:45)

Key Discussion Points:

• Case Overview:

  • Victims: Spencer Tepe, 37-year-old dentist, and his wife Monique, 39, found fatally shot in their Columbus, OH home on December 30, 2025.
  • Discovery: Prompted by employer noticing Spencer’s absence and failed contact with both spouses; children (ages 4 & 1) and dog left unharmed.
  • Welfare checks described as highly diligent and “caring”—contrasted with the Simpsons’ tongue-in-cheek self-disclosure about who’d notice if they disappeared.

• Suspect & Timeline:

  • Arrested: Dr. Michael McKee, 39, vascular surgeon and Monique’s ex-husband.

  • Motive unclear: McKee and Monique divorced in 2017 after less than two years of marriage, had no children, and reportedly no contact or ongoing disputes.

    "There couldn’t be any cleaner of a separation."
    — Shane (21:08)

• Distance & Planning:

  • McKee lived 500 miles away in Virginia, but drove to Columbus and was caught via surveillance and vehicle tracking.

  • Digital and forensic footprints: The Simpsons discuss the challenges of committing crimes in the age of omnipresent surveillance, digital records, and GPS.

    "If you’re going to commit a murder anymore…I know. Good luck. It’s difficult to get away with in present day."
    — Emily (28:12)

• Aggravating Circumstances:

  • Use of a silencer, premeditation, and entering a home at night contribute to “aggravated” charges (murder and burglary).
  • Firearm and silencer found at suspect’s home; surveillance places McKee at the scene.

• Psychological Angle & Motive Musings:

  • The hosts reflect on why successful, educated individuals like McKee (and referencing the “Christmas Eve Massacre” case) make “unthinkable” choices years after a divorce.

    "I’m talking about someone who spent a lot of time on education and building a career … then gets in a car and drives 500 miles and ruins it all. That doesn’t make any sense to me."
    — Emily (35:06)

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III. The Au Pair Affair (35:45 – 54:43)

Key Discussion Points:

• Case Overview:

  • Players: Brendan Banfield (IRS officer), wife Christine Banfield, au pair Juliana Perez Magalhães (Brazilian, early-20s), and Joseph Ryan (the “outsider” victim).
  • Plot: Brendan and Juliana conspired to murder Christine (his wife) so they could be together; lured Joseph Ryan to their home via a fake fetish website profile for a staged “rape fantasy” scenario.

• Murder Details:

  • Joseph Ryan arrives at the Banfield home believing he’s enacting a consensual fantasy; instead, he is shot and killed, and Christine is stabbed to death.

  • Staging: Brendan positioned himself as the hero, claiming he interrupted an attack, but forensic evidence began to unravel their scheme.

    "This is a very elaborate...scheme."
    — Emily (41:36)

• Legal Developments:

  • Juliana took a plea deal, admitting to shooting Joseph Ryan but testifying that Brendan masterminded the plan. She claims power dynamics given her age, immigration status, and economic precarity.
  • Brendan faces charges of aggravated murder, weapon use, child abuse, and neglect.
  • Evidence includes photos of Juliana moving into the marital bedroom and quickly replacing family photos—signaling premeditation.

• The Defense:

  • Focuses on discrediting Juliana as the mastermind, highlighting her quick move-in and alleged intentions to sell her story.

  • The Simpsons discuss how juries may be swayed by portrayals of Juliana as manipulative or opportunistic.

    "The defense is really going to focus on her credibility."
    — Emily (53:33)

• Host Commentary:

  • Emily reflects on the trope of the “dangerous au pair,” teasing Shane about hiring an attractive young nanny:

    "From a wife point of view, there will be no 21-year-old Brazilian au pairs that live in our home."
    — Emily (38:01)

  • Shane turns it back:

    "What country can she come from?"
    — Shane (38:02)

  • Discussion on whether the age and attractiveness of an au pair should matter:

    "Men are attracted to things other than physical like physique."
    — Shane (38:45)
    "No, they’re not. Stop with that."
    — Emily (38:48)

• Legal System Moments:

  • Criticism of police for allowing Brendan to wash blood off his hands before collecting forensic evidence.

    "He has blood all over his hands and he’s crying...and the police officer at the hospital felt sorry for him and told him to go wash his hands before they took any blood sample analysis."
    — Emily (44:10)

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IV. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On modern forensic evidence:

  "When people commit murders now in present day, you have to be way savvier... there’s a digital footprint, the surveillance cameras everywhere, Ring footage everywhere..."
  — Emily (27:13–27:32)

• On legal enhancements:

  "The reason it’s aggravated is because... of the premeditation involved in the actual planning, but also the use of the silencer."
  — Emily (31:03)

• On au pairs and married life:

  "I want to know with the women out there, what your thoughts are on hiring an au pair...a 21-year-old au pair that moves into your house and you know is Brazilian."
  — Emily (54:00)

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V. Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------------ |--------------| | Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni Lawsuit Update| 02:58–09:09 | | Ohio Dentist Murders – Discovery & Arrest | 13:32–35:45 | | Au Pair Affair – Overview & Trial | 35:45–54:43 |

Skip segments before 02:58 and after 54:43 for main content; advertisements and other podcast cross-promotions are present outside this window.

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VI. Tone and Style

The episode mixes serious legal analysis and true crime facts with the hosts’ characteristic humor and candid marital banter, including playful teasing and pop culture allusions (e.g., Taylor Swift, NASA school). The conversation remains accessible, skeptical yet empathetic, with both Emily and Shane bringing unique legal and personal perspectives.

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For continued coverage: Emily promises to follow both cases as they develop, noting her particular fascination with the psychological and procedural twists in each story. Listeners are encouraged to send case suggestions and feedback via DM.

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Transcript

[Nancy Glass]

I'm Nancy Glass, host of the Burden of Guilt season two podcast. This is a story about a horrendous lie that destroyed two families. Late one night, Bobby Gumpright became the victim of a random crime. The perpetrator was sentenced to 99 years until a confession changed everything.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

I was a monster.

[Nancy Glass]

Listen to Burden of guilt Season 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

What if mind control is real?

[Emily Simpson]

If you could control the behavior of anybody around you, what kind of life would you have?

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

Can you hypnotically persuade someone to buy a car?

[Shane]

When you look at your car, you're

[Emily Simpson]

going to become overwhelmed with such good feelings.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

Can you hypnotize someone into sleeping with you?

[Shane]

I gave her some suggestions to be sexually aroused.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

Can you get someone to join your cult?

[Jill Winterstein]

NLP was used on me to access

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

my subconscious mind games. A new podcast, exploring nlp, AKA neuro linguistic programming. Is it a self help miracle, a shady hypnosis scam, or both? Listen to mind Games on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jill Winterstein]

Hi, it's Jill Winterstein, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast where we talk about astrology, natal charts and how to step into your most vibrant life. And today I'm talking with my dear friend Krista Williams.

[Emily Simpson]

It can change you in the best way possible. Dance with the change, dance with the breakdowns.

[Jill Winterstein]

The embodiment of Pisces intuition with Capricorn power.

[Emily Simpson]

Just so. I'm like delusionally proud of my chart.

[Jill Winterstein]

Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast.

[Shane]

This is Special Agent Riegel, Special Agent Bradley Hall.

[Narrator/Storyteller]

In 2018, the FBI took down a ring of spies working for China's Ministry of State Security, one of the most mysterious intelligence agencies in the world.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

The sixth Bureau podcast is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets.

[Narrator/Storyteller]

Listen to the 6th Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Emily Simpson]

Hi guys. Welcome to another episode of Legally Brunette. I will be your host today. Emily Simpson. And Shane. And Shane. Also, before we start, I just wanna remind everyone to follow Legally Brunette wherever you listen to your podcast and make leave a review. We love to read them, we love to get your feedback and also be sure to tell your friends and family to listen today. I'm excited about the episode today because there's just a lot of things going on, you know, in my news source with. In my news source. Which is what. Which is Instagram. Yes. I realized every basic aspect of my life where, like, I find new things to incorporate into my life. They all come from Instagram.

[Shane]

Basically every complex part of your life too.

[Emily Simpson]

It's like I follow fitness influencers. So I'm like, oh, those are workouts I'm going to do. They came from Instagram.

[Shane]

I'm like, this is what a husband should do.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes, I, I send Shane Instagram reels all the time about husbands and how they should treat their wives and children and anyway, so basically my life revolves around what I see on Instagram, which is probably sad. But anyway, let's get into. We have, in the past, we've done, I think two, maybe more full episodes on Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, which was huge when it first came out. So if you guys have not listened to those episodes, I would suggest go back and listen to them because we do a really good job of just simplifying what going on, what she's suing him for breaking it down. But then we took a step away because, I don't know, I just kind of got, I was just kind of over all of it.

[Shane]

We talked about it allowed a little bit too, like it kind of plateaued out. There wasn't a whole lot.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, I feel like publicly, I feel like the content creators were just like jumping on it and you know, every little thing that came forward they were talking about. But let's just do a little bit because so, so Blake Lively has retained. She has a new attorney because she's going to trial soon. You know, they're slated to go to trial.

[Shane]

This may have a new attorney.

[Emily Simpson]

She has retained prominent attorney Sigrid McCauley to represent her in her upcoming trial against Justin Baldoni. McCauley is a managing partner at Boys Schiller Flexner and is known for previously representing sex trafficking victims connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein. She has also represented Lively's publicist. This was Leslie Sloan. We talked about Leslie Sloan back in past episodes after Baldoni named Sloan in a countersuit accusing her of orchestrating a smear campaign. And if you guys remember, all those claims that Justin Baldoni had against the publicist and against New York Times. Yeah, those were all dismissed. In a statement to the cut. This is where the article came from. McCauley said it is a privilege to get to work with Blake Lively's world class legal team on a case that at its core is about a woman who has subjected to a hostile work environment and is being attacked for standing up to protect herself and other female co workers. As a reminder, Lively and Baldoni have been locked in a legal. Legal dispute since. I remember it was December of 2024. It was before Christmas last year.

[Shane]

Was that long ago?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. That we started.

[Shane]

Goodness.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. And I remember I. I actually pulled all the legal documents. So again, if you guys want to go back and listen, I feel like we did it from Instagram, not from Instagram. I actually pulled all of the documents, read them multiple times. So I feel like we did a good breakdown on it. But as a reminder, Lively and Baldoni have been locked in a legal dispute since December of 2024, when Lively sued him alleging sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. During the of It Ends With Us. Baldoni responded with his own lawsuit accusing Lively, Sloan and Ryan Reynolds of defamation and extortion, arguing that Lively's claims were part of a broader effort to wrestle creative control of the film away from him. And that countersuit was dismissed by a judge back in June of 2025. The trial itself is currently still slated for this upcoming May.

[Shane]

So where do you stand on the. You're a huge Baldoni.

[Emily Simpson]

Oh my. My opinion. Well, my opinion of him and of Blake Lively has not changed at all. I still stand by the fact that I think this man is being railroaded by someone who just wanted creative control of a film and has made sexual harassment claims against him without, from what I have seen, substantial evidence to back that up. We will continue to follow that. There was also another article and extra it about Justin Baldoni. He claims that Blake Lively calls her New York City home office. She refers to it as Buckingham Palace. I think it just goes to the core of her ego. Justin Baldoni has offered new details about meetings he had with Blake Lively while filming. It Ends With Us. According to deposition testimony given amid their ongoing legal dispute. Baldoni, who was deposed, he was deposed back in October of 2025, described those interactions in a transcript which was obtained by People. During the deposition. He said Lively refer to her New York City home as Buckingham Palace, a nickname he explained was tied to the number of well known figures who passed through its space, its halls, through its hallowed halls. In November, People reported on an unsealed email that referenced Taylor Swift. Well, we knew Taylor Swift because that was the allegations that Taylor Swift was present during one of the. I guess, remember when Ryan Reynolds freaked

[Shane]

out one of the scenes? Right.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, they went. He, Justin Baldoni went to her home to discuss a scene. But then Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds was there and apparently he flipped out on him and was berating him and I guess Taylor Swift was allegedly there and that's how she became involved.

[Shane]

Well, and then she's probably involved because they want to pick her brain on whatever conversations she's had with Blake Lively and stuff.

[Emily Simpson]

Which I still, I believe, I don't think they're friends anymore at this point. Or Taylor Swift is taking a.

[Shane]

She's gonna write an album about it.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes. It's coming out soon.

[Shane]

Yes. To be very sad. She's a victim.

[Emily Simpson]

Also, allegedly Hugh Jackman was present during this confrontation involving Baldoni and Ryan Reynolds.

[Shane]

Why was he there?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know where Reynolds unloaded.

[Shane]

I guess because he was filming with Reynolds. Right. Were they, what were they filming like the Wolverine, Dead. Deadpool stuff.

[Emily Simpson]

Oh. So I guess he, he was at Buckingham palace too, I guess. And this is during that confrontation. We just talked about telling him how horrible it was that Baldoni had asked Lively about her weight. Do you remember that? That was an issue where she said he harassed her because I guess he had go her personal trainer and asked how much she weighed and then it got back to her. But he claims he asked how much she weighed cuz he had back problems. So he just wanted to know like how to lift her.

[Shane]

I, I, yeah, Calm down, people. So what he asked how much she weighed? I mean, people ask how tall you are and is that supposed to be offensive?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't. Is it offensive when people ask you

[Shane]

how tall you are?

[Emily Simpson]

Are you offended by it?

[Shane]

I am going to start suing people.

[Emily Simpson]

Are you?

[Shane]

Yes.

[Emily Simpson]

Note, don't ask Shane how tall he is.

[Shane]

He's offended a lot of money.

[Emily Simpson]

Ask me.

[Shane]

I'm going to see you. Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

All right, let's move on from that. If anything new develops and that we'll definitely talk about it, but we will definitely follow the trial if it. I still can't see this going to trial, but we'll see if it continues on to May.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

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[Emily Simpson]

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[Shane]

I'm Mike and I've lost 135 pounds. Weight Watchers prescribing GLP1 medications. It's been life changing.

[Emily Simpson]

I'm Sharia and I lost 80 pounds on Weight Watchers. I realized that it would take more than a prescription to lose weight and

[Jill Winterstein]

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[Shane]

I can't imagine doing a GLP1 without Weight Watchers.

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Get started for as low as $25 at weightwatchers.com glp1 for over 60 years, we've helped millions of members find what works for them. Now it's your turn. Weight Watchers. Watch it work. In 2023, a story gripped the UK evoking horror and disbelief.

[Shane]

The nurse who should have been in

[Emily Simpson]

charge of caring for tiny babies is now the most prolific child killer in modern British history.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

Everyone thought they knew how it ended. A verdict, A villain. A nurse named Lucy Letby.

[Emily Simpson]

Lucy Letby has been found guilty.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

But what if we didn't get the whole story?

[Emily Simpson]

The moment you look at the whole picture, the case collapses.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

I'm Amanda Knox, and in the new podcast To Doubt the Case of Lucy Letby, we follow the evidence and hear from the people that lived it. To ask what really happened when the world decided who Lucy Letby was.

[Emily Simpson]

No voicing of any skepticism or doubt. It'll cause so much harm at every

[Narrator/Storyteller]

single level of the British establishment that this is wrong.

[Podcast Trailer Voice]

Listen to Doubt the Case of Lucy Letby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Narrator/Storyteller]

China's Ministry of State Security is one of the most mysterious and powerful spy agencies in the world. But in 2017, the FBI got inside.

[Shane]

This is Special Agent Riegel, Special Agent Bradley Hall.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

This MSS officer has no idea the US Government is onto him. But the FBI has his chats, texts, emails, even his personal diary. Hear how they got it on the Sixth Bureau podcast.

[Emily Simpson]

I now have several terabytes of an MSS officer, no doubt, no question of his life. And that's the unicorn.

[Shane]

No one had ever seen anything like that. It was unbelievable.

[Narrator/Storyteller]

This is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Listen to the 6th Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jill Winterstein]

Hi, this is Jo Winterstein, host of the Spirit Daughter podcast where we talk about astrology, natal charts, and how to step into your most vibrant life. And I just sat down with a mini driver.

[Emily Simpson]

The Irish traveler said, when I was 16, you're gonna have a terrible time with men.

[Jill Winterstein]

Actor, storyteller and unapologetic Aquarian visionary. Aquarius is all about freedom loving and different perspectives and I find a lot of people with strong placements in Aquarius like are Misunderstood A Sun and Venus in Aquarius in her seventh house spark her unconventional approach to partnership.

[Emily Simpson]

He really has taught me to embrace people sleeping in different rooms, on different houses, in different places, but just an embracing of the isness of it all.

[Jill Winterstein]

If you're navigating your own transformation or just want a chart side view into how a leading artist integrates astrology, creativity and real life, this episode is a must. Listen Listen to the Spirit Daughter podcast starting on February 24th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast.

[Emily Simpson]

This is a new developing story. It happens in Ohio. I feel like there's so many things that happen in Ohio. I don't know why I'm from Ohio. If you guys don't know that, I'm sure you do.

[Shane]

I think it's because I think publicly they release body cam footage and, and journalists have more access probably to all this stuff. So it spreads like wildfire. And so you're saying and your people are murderers.

[Emily Simpson]

My people.

[Shane]

They are your people.

[Emily Simpson]

My people. Well, the reason I say a lot of things happens in Ohio is because I don't know if you guys know this, but I've always.

[Shane]

Forensic.

[Emily Simpson]

I've always been obsessed with Forensic Files and I have. What? There's Forensic Files too. I've not seen.

[Shane]

Good, though.

[Emily Simpson]

No, it's not as good as the original, but I have seen every episode of Forensic Files and I will tell you, if you guys watch Forensic Files or if you start watching it, or if you haven't watched it but now you're in tune to watching it again. You will now notice after hearing this that the majority of the stories on Forensic Files happen in Ohio.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

And.

[Shane]

But again, I think it's because whoever was the creator of Forensic Files or, you know, the, the researchers and all that, there's probably more accessible, you know, info that they can get publicly from Ohio to create a show. All right, so trying to help your people out.

[Emily Simpson]

I know, I got it. You're saying it's accessible as opposed to in proportionate with other states.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Correct.

[Emily Simpson]

Disproportionate.

[Shane]

Correct. Right. One or the other.

[Emily Simpson]

All right. So if you guys have been following the news at all, there is a new developing story that has happened and it's in the Columbus, Ohio area. So a man named Spencer, I guess Tepe Teep. I don't know how to say his last name. Spencer.

[Shane]

Spence.

[Emily Simpson]

This is the Ohio dentist. He was a well regarded 37 year old dentist. And his wife Monique, who was 39, were found fatally shot inside their Columbus home on December 30, 2025 while their two young children were inside. And I believe their children are ages 4 and 1. 4 and 1. According to WSYX, Spencer was known for his reliability. At Athens Dental depot, worked roughly 75 miles from the family's home. That would suck to work that far away from home. 75 miles away.

[Shane]

What kind of job did he have?

[Emily Simpson]

He's a dentist.

[Shane]

Oh, yeah, that's right. Forgot. I thought he killed. Okay, yeah. Profession is mixed up.

[Emily Simpson]

I just said dentist. This is what it's like being married to you. Jeez.

[Shane]

Maybe I'm quizzing you, making sure you're paying attention.

[Emily Simpson]

Dentist. He's a dentist. His.

[Shane]

Well, okay, so to my point, yes. He might only work three days a week.

[Emily Simpson]

Why do you say that?

[Shane]

Because dentists don't necessarily have to work five days a week.

[Emily Simpson]

I did not know that.

[Shane]

You didn't know that?

[Emily Simpson]

No.

[Shane]

I have a friend in orthodontics. He lives in one state and he comes to California like for three days a week.

[Emily Simpson]

Oh. Well, my friend who is a dentist, she works in Arizona and here, so.

[Shane]

See? Still see?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know. Okay.

[Shane]

And then you wonder about me.

[Emily Simpson]

Okay. His employer was Dr. Mark Valrose. He told dispatchers that Spencer's unexplained absence was alarming. So that's how they were tipped off in the beginning. He doesn't show up for work.

[Shane]

Right.

[Emily Simpson]

And they said that he was responsible, always on time. So the fact that he was not at work, didn't call, didn't notify anyone.

[Shane]

If I didn't show up work, there'd be no welfare.

[Emily Simpson]

No one would know. No.

[Shane]

Again, no.

[Emily Simpson]

But you know what? This is what Shane. This is what Shane always says. The only welfare check that would come for me would be from Nordstrom.

[Shane]

That's right. They'd be like, we have some concerns. Have not seen her in the last 48 hours.

[Emily Simpson]

So also they said what was concerning was they tried to get a hold of his wife and they couldn't get a hold of his wife. So when they couldn't get a hold of him, they couldn't get a hold of his wife. That's when everyone was alarmed and they called 911. So the.

[Shane]

I always find that to be carrying people like the employers.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Instead of just Being like, oh my gosh, he didn't show up. What a jerk.

[Emily Simpson]

What a jerk, right?

[Shane]

They're like, we have concerns. Yeah, this is not normal.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

And I appreciate that.

[Emily Simpson]

So he placed a 911 call around 8:58am requesting a welfare check and telling the dispatcher, quote, he is always time and he would contact us if there were any issues. I don't know how else to say this, but we are very, very concerned. This is very out of character for him. He also said, adding, quote, we can't get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing. So police arrived at the home around 9:22am to conduct the wellness check but received no response at the door. At 9:56am another 911 call was placed by a friend of the, of the couple at the scene who reported hearing children inside the house. Then at approximately 10:03 a visibly distressed friend contacted dispatch after entering the home. There's a body. He said. Our friend wasn't answering his door. We just came here and he appears dead. Columbus police later confirmed that Spencer and Monique were found deceased inside their Wineland park home. The time of the murders is believed to have taken place sometime between 2am

[Shane]

and 5am so then my question is how did he enter the home?

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Home?

[Emily Simpson]

Well, we're going to get to that. We're just giving some background information on how police knew to go to the house. The friends and family looking for them, him not showing up for work. The two children ages 1 and 4 left inside the house unharmed. Thank goodness. There was also a golden doodle that was unharmed as well. There was a dog.

[Shane]

Children. Did they see the, the bodies?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know. The children I believe were found like in their bedrooms and I. And the dog was unharmed as well. So all we can hope is that the children didn't have to see that. So Michael David McKee, who is a 39 year old vascular surgeon was arrested on January 10th. So he's arrested 11 days later. They did have.

[Shane]

I don't know if you saw this suspected surgeon killed.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes, a dentist.

[Shane]

Dentist, yes.

[Emily Simpson]

They did have video surveillance of someone in the alleyway that, that was walking in the alleyway during, near the home.

[Shane]

But you couldn't make out who it was?

[Emily Simpson]

Well, it was just a man and like a, you like a black hoodie, you couldn't make out who it was. But I do believe they showed it asking for tips and they knew the murder took place between 2 and 5am and I believe he was walking by their home around that time period. And so they were looking for tips, but they arrested him 11 days later on.

[Shane]

It took 11 days for them to determine who the suspect was.

[Emily Simpson]

11 days. Court records show that Michael McKee and Mo' Nique Tepe were married in August of 2015. The marriage ended less than two years later when Monique initiated divorce proceedings in May of 2017. So the man arrested for allegedly killing these two people was her ex husband,

[Shane]

but again, long ago, because now she moved on. She's married, she has kids, ages 1

[Emily Simpson]

and 4, and she's married to a dentist. You know, I had to look up vascular surgeon. I didn't know what that was. I mean, I knew. I know he's a doctor and he's successful and he's educated.

[Shane]

This.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes, you're right.

[Shane]

The torso.

[Emily Simpson]

The torso. It's the veins.

[Shane]

Oh, is it?

[Emily Simpson]

It's the veins, Yeah. I looked it up here. A vascular surgeon is a doctor who specializes in treating diseases and conditions affecting the body's arteries, veins and lymphatic system, excluding the heart and brain. It says essentially a vascular surgeon is acting as the plumber for your circulatory system by managing blockages, aneurysms.

[Shane]

Yeah, yeah, Vessels, namely in the torso. That's why I always understood it. Okay, but you're right, because a heart would be specialty, a brain would be specialty.

[Emily Simpson]

At the time of the filing, McKee was living in Virginia, and records indicate the couple were already separated. The divorce was finalized roughly a month later. The filings do not reflect any noted hostility between the two, and they do not share any children together. So. Okay. They were married two years, I believe.

[Shane]

Been any cleaner of a separation?

[Emily Simpson]

No, they were married two years, but I. I think I read or someone did an interview that said basically they only lived together like seven months.

[Shane]

Yeah. So again, it couldn't be any cleaner.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

Separation.

[Emily Simpson]

They had no children. So you're not talking about someone that's angry over custody or they have to

[Shane]

maintain a relationship because they got a co parent.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. So there's no some business interaction or anything between the two of them. And this is back in 2015 when they were married. So you're talking about 11 years later that this man drive divorced in 2015. No, they were married in 2015 and then they were divorced. She started to divorce him in May in 2017. So I mean, nine years ago is when their divorce happened. So as part of the divorce settlement, McKee retained ownership of a230,000 home in Roanoke, Virginia, where he was completing his medical residency. The property and mortgage were in his name and neither party was ordered to pay spousal support. Each kept their own vehicles and assume responsibility for their individual debts according marriage, their disillusioned agreement. So basically it's like they would say it's a blip.

[Shane]

This walked away from each other.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

They had no children, handled it well and that's it.

[Emily Simpson]

She did. Some people did come forward. Her family, I think it was her brother, gave multiple interviews or maybe it was just getting repeated. And I kept reading it over and over where he does claim that she was terrified of him and that she claimed that he was very hostile, controlling.

[Shane]

Do we know they live far away from each other? Like, did she relocate to another town?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah, He's. He was 500 miles away.

[Shane]

Oh my goodness.

[Emily Simpson]

He's in Virginia. Right? He's in Virginia and they're located in Columbus, Ohio. So in order.

[Shane]

Right. 500 miles away sounds about right.

[Emily Simpson]

So then in order for him.

[Shane]

So he, he planned when he had a finder.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. Well, that means, that means to me that he was like stalking her life.

[Shane]

Yeah, that's what. Yeah. Pointed out that he knows where she is.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. So allegedly. We just talked about this a little bit. We'll go into it more. Michael was abusive in the marriage. So Monique's brother in law, Rob, his name is Rob Missley. I don't know exactly how to say his last name. It's M I S L E H Told NBC News she was terrified because he had threatened her life on multiple occasions when they were married. She wasn't shy about talking to people about her traumatic experiences that she had with the ex and just how emotionally abusive he was to her, it affected her to this day. You know, the fact that she was strong enough to only be married to him for a short period of time,

[Shane]

see what she was in and to

[Emily Simpson]

see the red flags to not have children with him, to give him the house. Right.

[Shane]

Because it just walk away.

[Emily Simpson]

It said he retained the home. She probably had some interest in it,

[Shane]

even though they were, I don't know,

[Emily Simpson]

maybe married for a short period of time. But I'm sure, you know, she probably had some interest in the home.

[Shane]

Either way, she didn't, she didn't go after it.

[Emily Simpson]

Whether she did or did, she's like, I'll take my car and my debt

[Shane]

and my dignity and I'll leave.

[Emily Simpson]

And you take your, you take the house and your car and let's just be done with each other.

[Shane]

That's how it should be.

[Emily Simpson]

This brother in law, Rob, who Is married to Spencer's sister. He told ABC News that Monique had been a very strong person. Myself and many others were well aware of the negative impact that this ex husband had had on her. She was willing to do anything to get out of there. Regarding recent threats, he told NBC News, if any of us had known these threats were grounded and a possibility, we all would have acted differently. You know, I don't know if there's recent threats. I don't know if we know. I feel like that's probably what they're investigating now. Like, the forensic footprint, the digital footprint. Like, was he texting her?

[Shane]

Texting?

[Emily Simpson]

Was he following her on Facebook and was he sending her messages? Was he emailing her? Was he. We. That's what we don't know. Because what is it that would have triggered someone after all these years who isn't an intelligent and educated man who lives in Virginia and is a vascular

[Shane]

surgeon 500 miles away to drive 500

[Emily Simpson]

miles in the middle of the night?

[Shane]

He's settled down. Does he have a wife and kids?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't believe he does.

[Shane]

Dang. He. He drove that whole way.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Yeah.

[Shane]

In the middle of the night, many years later. Yeah. So there's no known reported incidents between. Prior to this.

[Emily Simpson]

No.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

That we're aware of at this point.

[Shane]

Right. So there might have been private things done, but nothing surfaced publicly.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. But I. Thus far, I'm going to guess that they're doing some type of deep digital dive into his phone and electronics and hers.

[Shane]

Oh, yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

To see.

[Shane]

See if there's a history there.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

Because it's not like he was scrolling in the Explore page and just saw her and he's like, oh, I remember her. Yeah. Where is she now?

[Emily Simpson]

Oh, she's married to a dentist.

[Shane]

Yeah. I gotta get him.

[Emily Simpson]

According to court filings, investigators trace McKee to a vehicle seen entering the Tepes neighborhood shortly before the fatal shootings and departing soon after. That vehicle was later found in Rockford, Illinois, and determined to be registered to him. So that's how they found him. They looked at surveillance video from the

[Shane]

neighborhood, and there was enough of the vehicle.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah, I guess they could get a license plate from it. There was. So they see him, that car somewhere

[Shane]

near their residence, and that car belonged to a residence 500 miles away. So it's not like he was in the neighborhood. No, I mean, that's pretty.

[Emily Simpson]

You mean like he wasn't there visiting his grandma that lives in their neighborhood?

[Shane]

Right. It's not like they live. Right. He can't come up with Some silly excuse of like I was going to

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

the mall or whatever.

[Shane]

Whatever.

[Emily Simpson]

You know, it reminds me also of when we were going through the Idaho murders and they got. That's how they. That's how they initially were connected to Coburger. Because the car, remember the car kept. They got him on surveillance and he kept going back and forth and then they ended up connecting the license plate to him being a student and. Yeah, you know, that's what I was thinking. When people commit murders now in present day you have to be way savvier.

[Shane]

You mean to not leave any evidence behind?

[Emily Simpson]

Well, first of all, a digital footprint is unreal. I mean the way that you can.

[Shane]

They can go on his car and depending on the car they can look at his GPS and see if there's a history there.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

He might have punched in her address maybe. Yeah. So maybe it's in the favorites and

[Emily Simpson]

just the surveillance cameras everywhere.

[Shane]

Oh yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

And the ring footage everywhere. I don't know if you could drive anywhere without your vehicle being picked up somewhere at some point.

[Shane]

And your cell phone, your phone and that. And they don't necessarily. The triangular, you know, location that they used to use. Now it's pretty dang accurate.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

It's not like well within this, you know, 30 square miles. He was there.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, this is what I don't understand of these people. That or.

[Shane]

And no one uses cash. So if you go buy gas, right? Oh yeah. He had to buy gas in 500 miles or even if he had to charge his car, it's going to track it, it's going to show a trail.

[Emily Simpson]

That's what I'm saying. If you're going to commit a murder in murder anymore. I know. Good.

[Shane]

Difficult to get away with in present day.

[Emily Simpson]

You have to be way smarter to over. You've got to think around those things.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

You can't carry your cell phone with you. You can't drive a car.

[Shane]

When they burn down a house or something to try to get rid of evidence, they actually couldn't create Evidence. Evidence.

[Emily Simpson]

Oh, you're mean.

[Shane]

There's an accelerator here, you know, there's this and that and sometimes they can look at the gas can and the backtrack, things like that. Or if you know someone's. If the body was burned and then that now the. The house was burned down. Right. And they can't. Let's say they can't determine how the homicide was done. Right. How the murder was. Was committed. But now they know that it was an arson or. Or it was an intentional act to burn the house down. So now they know it's a homicide, right, as opposed to an accident, right? Because they see accelerators or they see whatever they see. It started over here in the bedroom, and there's no reason to start there. So they actually create evidence. So the same thing is if you plan a murder, right, you're actually going to create a lot of breadcrumbs, right?

[Emily Simpson]

Because you go get your.

[Shane]

I'm gonna look up where she lives, right? I'm gonna put it in my gps. I'm gonna go buy a gun, right? And swipe my car. I mean, everything leaves a footprint.

[Narrator/Storyteller]

Exactly.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

I'm gonna ring the doorbell.

[Emily Simpson]

No, no ringing the doorbell. Well, that's why, again, see, we've talked about so many cases. That's why, again, when I think back to Karen Reed, and there's no. There's no surveillance, there's no ring footage of anything from that night.

[Shane]

Just gotta get the Boston PD to join in on the murder if you want to get away with it.

[Emily Simpson]

Prosecutors said a search of McKee's residence turned up several firearms, including one that authorities believe may have been used in the killing. Investigators also documented three spent 9 millimeter shell casings that were recovered from the home and entered into evidence. Officials are still working to establish whether the firearm in question was legally purchased. However, the firearm that was used was used with a silencer. So talk about more planning, right? He purchased the silencer or made a silencer. I don't know if it was like a homemade one or what. I don't know. Can you buy a silencer? I don't even know. Can you just. Just. You can't. Can you?

[Shane]

Why not?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know. Yeah, it seems like. Why would you need it?

[Shane]

I think there's restrictions around it and it's definitely, like, you know, alarming, right?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

Cuz. Why? Why, right? Do you need to silence it? Columbus police have also confirmed that McKee was the man seen walking in an alley via video surveillance behind the Tepes home the night of the murder. A Franklin county grand jury has formally indicted Michael McKee on multiple felony charges. The indictment, which was issued on January 16, contains five counts total, including four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary. I just want to talk about those for a second because we did talk about this with aggravated. The aggravated part. The reason it's.

[Shane]

Judge Liz.

[Emily Simpson]

With Judge Liz. It's an enhancement. And the reason it's aggravated is because one, because of the premeditation involved in the actual Planning, but also the use of the silencer.

[Shane]

Oh, yeah, that's huge.

[Emily Simpson]

Right? And then aggravated burglary. It's considered burglary, just entering a home at night with the intent to commit a crime. You don't actually have to steal something, even though burglary. Everybody thinks burglary means something like a cat burglar.

[Shane]

What is a cat burglar?

[Emily Simpson]

Well, like, when someone goes in the house and, like, steals something.

[Shane]

Why are you acting like a cat cat?

[Emily Simpson]

Because it's like cat burglar. You know, like, they go in the house with the intent to steal. But burglary isn't the intent just to steal. Burglary is entering a home at night with the intent to commit a felony crime.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

According to charging documents released by the Franklin county prosecutor's office, McKee is accused of possessing a firearm that was equipped with a firearm muffler or suppressor on or about his person or under his control while committing the offense. You know what else I read that. I was wondering how they knew this. I also read that his charges were considered aggravated because he showed or brandished the weapon. Each aggravated murder charge carries firearm specifications, including a three year enhancement for using a gun in the commission of the crime and an additional six year enhancement tied to the alleged use of firearm suppressor. You know, it also should be enhanced because there's kids in the house that probably has something to do with it, too. There's. Even though he left them alone, there's a one year old and a four year old.

[Shane]

The enhancements, though, are kind of. I mean, I get it. The idea is like, like, oh, he's even more evil because he. He wanted to silence it and he premeditated it. But, I mean, it's not going to work. It's not like someone's like, don't, dude, don't use a silencer. It might aggravate the murder. We might get, you know, multiple years attached concurrently.

[Emily Simpson]

So McKe has not entered a plea. Investigators have not determined a motive in the killings, and no bond has been issued. I don't know. Let's think about motive.

[Shane]

I mean, I'll tell you the motive. He wants her dead and her husband.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

I don't think it's that difficult.

[Emily Simpson]

I know. But I think people want to wrap their brain around what it was that triggered him to premeditate, get in a car, drive 500 miles, nine years later. Nine years later and murder two people in their home who have children. Why has he not moved on?

[Shane]

And then why didn't he Kill, thankfully. But he didn't. But why didn't he touch the children or kill the children? Oh, I guess they're not witnesses. Oh, yeah. He does morals.

[Emily Simpson]

He has morals.

[Shane]

Kids are off limits.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. You know what else I was thinking about? Because we talked about this before when we did the Christmas Eve massacre and remember we. It reminds me because remember that guy worked for NASA. Santa Claus. He dressed up as Santa Claus and then killed his ex wife and her, basically her entire family on Christmas Eve. But he was educated, he worked for NASA and they had only been married a short period of time and they had no children. And remember we talked about why.

[Shane]

Why can't you just walk away?

[Emily Simpson]

Why can't. Well, remember I said, if you want to get revenge, why can't you do it in a healthy way? Like go to the gym? What about revenge body? Like, why do you have to. Why do we have to murder and take people out? Because you're mad that someone's moved on.

[Shane]

Next time you get mad at me, I'm like, babe, just. Just go to the gym.

[Emily Simpson]

I do. Why do you think I go to the gym every day?

[Shane]

Because you're mad at the world.

[Emily Simpson]

No, I'm mad at you. I was saying I was thinking of that because you have these.

[Shane]

Love you too.

[Emily Simpson]

Thank you. You're talking about two men who have worked really hard to have a professional career, who went to school for a long period of time, who have the ability to have a nice life and make money and then they go and do something stupid and murder people and they're going to spend the rest of their life in jail. That's what I'm saying. I'm not talking about someone that has a crap life, that grew up abused and like, had no. And feels like they have no means of ever being successful or getting anywhere in life. I'm talking about someone who spent a lot of time on education and building a career and doing a residency and being a doctor and then gets in a car and drives 500 miles and ruins it all. That doesn't make any sense to me. That's the part I don't understand is what I'm saying.

[Shane]

I hear what you're saying, but I think the better argument for your point is if someone can compose themselves and focus and actually have end goals to work for NASA or be a vascular surgeon and all these things to be able to. To hunker down and do what you need to do to have such a career to get to that point, why can't he kind of control his emotions and other things.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes. And I'm saying, why can't you?

[Shane]

Because I don't think education alone. It's not like he went to NASA school and he thought, well, geez, I learned at NASA school that murder is bad.

[Emily Simpson]

No, NASA school doesn't teach you murder.

[Shane]

Well, there's no such thing as NASA school. You know what I mean?

[Emily Simpson]

Let's move on. But we will stay. I'm invested in this Ohio dentist and I want to know more. So we will definitely say on top of this case and talk about it again. This case. I find this case even more intriguing than the Dennis case. The au pair affair. Okay, lots to talk about here. So, Brendan Banfield and Juliana Perez Magalis. I don't know if I said that right. It's Brazilian. She's Brazilian. You speak Portuguese. How do you say her last name? Name.

[Shane]

Let me see it. What's it say right here? Well, Perez. Perez Maga. Yals.

[Emily Simpson]

Maga.

[Shane]

Yals Maga. Yals.

[Emily Simpson]

Shane speaks Portuguese in case anyone was interested because he did a year long mission in.

[Shane]

I did two years, yes.

[Emily Simpson]

But I met a year in Portugal.

[Shane]

About a year in Portugal. Right here in Caboverde, they speak criollo, right? The official language. Portugal. But everyone the street speaks Corolla.

[Emily Simpson]

So Brendan Banfield and this au pair named Juliana. I'm just going to call her Juliana. Conspired to kill Brendan. Her name's Juliana. I'm just going to call her that. Conspired to kill Brendan's wife, Christine Banfield, so the two of them could be together. The other victim in this case, Joseph Ryan, was an outsider who was lured to the home through a fetish website that Brendan and Juliana allegedly catfished him on.

[Shane]

A fetish website?

[Emily Simpson]

I think it was called like. It's like fetish.com.

[Shane]

yeah, but what was their fetish?

[Emily Simpson]

It was. Well, let's. We have to give a little background on this case first, please. First of all, she is a like 20 year old. Well, she's 23 or 4. She came to the United States through an au pair company. And she's Brazilian. And I think she was 20 or 21 when she came here.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

And she started working for them when she was like 21 years old. And they were only paying her 200 a week.

[Shane]

Week for an open board, I assume.

[Emily Simpson]

But the. The right. That was the perk, was that she came to the United States through this au pair company, and then she had free room and board and then she got a little spending cash on the side. Okay. First of all I have to say from a wife point of view, there will be no 21 year old Brazilian au pairs that live in our home.

[Shane]

What country can she come from?

[Emily Simpson]

None. There were just.

[Shane]

Okay, but that's offensive, you know, though.

[Emily Simpson]

No, I'm just.

[Shane]

You're saying you don't trust me. Thank you.

[Emily Simpson]

I trust you. I'm just saying, like, why is he from Brazil?

[Shane]

What's it matter where she's from?

[Emily Simpson]

Because Brazilian women are hot. You say that all the time.

[Shane]

I walk around, I just say, brazilian women are hot. I never said that once in my life.

[Emily Simpson]

I don't believe that. You're always like, let's go to Brazil.

[Shane]

That's.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

What's that mean? My goodness. You say, let's go to Greece. Oh, I want a Greek man.

[Emily Simpson]

Oh, yeah.

[Shane]

Well, buy your own way ticket.

[Emily Simpson]

All right. Thank you.

[Shane]

Have you looked up a picture of her?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. She's cute.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shane]

Men are attracted to things other than physical, like physique.

[Emily Simpson]

No, they're not. Stop. Stop with that. So in fall. Okay, so Juliana goes to work as an au pair for Brendan and Christine Banfield. When she was about 21 years old, she and Brendan Banfield began a sexual relationship. About 10 months later, prosecutors say Banfield began plotting to kill his wife Christine, creating a fake profile on a fetish website to communicate with Joseph Ryan.

[Shane]

All right, so points.

[Emily Simpson]

Okay.

[Shane]

One or a question? One. How old is he?

[Emily Simpson]

The husband.

[Shane]

Yeah. The murder?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know. I. But I would say from the way he looks, he looks like he's in his 40s. He also. He also is a IRS officer. Yeah, well, because he made that clear in the 911 call that he's like, I'm a. I'm a.

[Shane]

Like that means something.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Well, okay. The other thing I was going to say was, like we talked about earlier, here he is cre. He's planning a murder.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes.

[Shane]

And by doing so, he's creating more evidence.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes. So basically what this plot is that they came up with is they created a fake profile in the wife's name. And I don't know if it was her or him, because this is what the controversy comes down to, because she took a plea deal and has flipped on him. She testified, I believe, for like three days straight. Two or three days straight. That he's the mastermind behind all of this. And like, she, you know, was just the innocent, young 21 year old that just went along with it.

[Shane]

I just watch kids.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. But even though she was the one that shot the Other guy, Joseph Ryan, but basically at his, you know, direction is what hurt.

[Shane]

Well, if he was older, as you suggest, in his 40s, and she's 20 and she's from an immigrant from another country now here, and she's kind of under his control and he's the employer, I mean, he can't exercise control over here and authority over her, which is, you know, not fair to her. Right. Because he's putting her in a situation where maybe she feels, well, I donated,

[Emily Simpson]

but I don't know. Well, I don't know.

[Shane]

I mean, I don't know either. I'm just saying there is that, there is that relationship and that could be the case.

[Emily Simpson]

So basically either they acted together and created this fake profile for the wife on this fetish website or he did it and she just knew about it. But anyway, they did it in a way so that they had. They wanted to play out a rape fantasy where a man comes over to the house with a knife to act out a fantasy rape type of scene.

[Shane]

My question, what is their fetish?

[Emily Simpson]

That's the fat.

[Shane]

Well, that's, that's, that's the fake fetish.

[Emily Simpson]

That's the fake fetish. Right. So that's the fake fetish so that they could then kill her and him. Basically they wanted it to look like the guy who brought the knife to the house killed her and then they shot him because he was an intruder.

[Shane]

Right.

[Emily Simpson]

So this is this plan they came up with to make it look like someone broke into the house, was hurting her with a knife, killed her with a knife, and then they came upon him and shot him with the gun. So this is a very elaborate and scheme.

[Shane]

Who's the him? Because that's another person.

[Emily Simpson]

That's someone that they that replied to this.

[Shane]

Oh, they actually recruited someone to fall for this.

[Emily Simpson]

That's who this Joseph Ryan is.

[Shane]

Oh my goodness.

[Emily Simpson]

He's the, he's on the fetish website that said, sure, I would love to play out this role, I'll come to your house, I'll attack you, I'll bring a knife.

[Shane]

They're like, don't wear a bulletproof vest. No questions.

[Emily Simpson]

Just show up to show up with a knife.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

So that's what happened. So they create a fake profile, he replies, they set up a meeting, a date where he thinks he's coming to meet this woman Christine and to have this fantasy fulfilled rape scene where they're going to have consensual sex and he brings a knife with him. So he shows up at the house, the husband is at McDonald's. And the au pair is in the home with the children in the basement.

[Shane]

Yeah, I know, I'm listening. I just have a look on my face like, this is psych.

[Emily Simpson]

So the man shows up to have this fetish thing that he thinks he's just gonna do with this woman.

[Shane]

He's a victim.

[Emily Simpson]

He's a victim. I don't know.

[Shane]

Portraying a rapist.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. And I don't know exactly what happens because this is to be determined. This is what the whole trial is about, is then the wife ends up getting stabbed. And I believe that. We think it's the husband that stabbed her. Like he shows up. Right? Right.

[Shane]

He comes over, this raper guy.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, he's not really. He's a fetish.

[Shane]

The fetish guy, he's Joseph Ryan portraying.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

He comes over, right. The opair's in the basement with the kids.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

And what does he do? He. He comes inside.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, then I don't know exactly what happens because I. No one was there except for these people.

[Shane]

And obviously they're all saying pair was there. Obviously. Yes.

[Emily Simpson]

We know the au pair shot him with a gun and she killed him.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

She had a firearm.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

The wife is stabbed in the neck and she dies from her injuries.

[Shane]

And. And do we know who stabbed her?

[Emily Simpson]

We believe the husband stabbed her.

[Shane]

Yeah. Not. Not this guy that signed up.

[Emily Simpson]

No.

[Shane]

To be killed.

[Emily Simpson]

No.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

And the husband had blood on his hands at the hospital later when he learned that his wife died from her injuries.

[Shane]

So he can't. He comes to see his wife, supposedly. To come see his wife.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes, because he cares, because he's heartbroken

[Shane]

and he forgot to wash his hands.

[Emily Simpson]

No. Well, he comes to the hospital, he has blood all over his hands and he's crying.

[Shane]

Right.

[Emily Simpson]

And the police officer at the hospital felt sorry for him and told him to go wash his hands before they took any blood. Sample analysis, DNA, anything from his hands.

[Shane]

Did this police officer formerly work with Boston pd?

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know about that, but possibly

[Shane]

he's like, I've been here before. Wash your hands, dude.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

So wait, okay, so the police officer is testifying that. That. That took place?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah, There was testimony.

[Shane]

That's how we know. Cuz that officer that said wash your hands.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

Is also testifying that there was evidence on his hands.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. That was not swabbed from his hands?

[Shane]

No.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

That is terrible. Because they should have taken photos of him too.

[Emily Simpson]

Exactly. So this is what the defense is.

[Shane]

Right? May I say one more thing? Even if he had no Blood on. I mean, if you're dead, I'm dead. Yes. If you're dead and it's foul play.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

And cops are, like, investing me, and I have no blood on my hands.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

And no DNA in my nails and all that. I'm gonna be like, take photos to show that I'm clean.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. You should call an attorney, too.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

And don't talk.

[Shane]

Alan Jackson.

[Emily Simpson]

He's on speed dial. Call Alan Jackson. If you didn't do it, if you did not do it, call Alan Jackson.

[Shane]

My wife's big fan of your. She's dead now and I need representation.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. So Banfield had purchased a firearm and allegedly trained Juliana to use it. Investigators say Joseph Ryan believed he was meeting Christine for consensual sex. But the profile was controlled by Brendan and Juliana the day of the murders. This happened on February 24th of 2023. Authorities alleged that Joseph Ryan was lured to the Banfield home. We talked about that under the guise of thinking that he was showing up for the. This consensual fetish.

[Shane]

He thought he was going to get lucky.

[Emily Simpson]

Brendan allegedly turned off his wife's phone, waited at a nearby McDonald's, then entered the home with Juliana and his four year old daughter. Joseph Ryan showed up to the home with restraints and a knife for what he believed was consensual role play.

[Shane]

This poor guy, it's like, okay, go to Walmart, get a murder kit. Yeah. And then come over and fulfill my sanity.

[Emily Simpson]

Prosecutors said Brendan showed up to the house and shot Joseph, staging it like he saved his wife from a madman. Right. Like he shows up and he's like, my wife's being attacked. And he shoots him and then stabbed his wife afterwards. Staging that as if Joseph had did that to her and that's why he was staging her. And then when Joseph tried to move, Juliana shot him again. I guess he wasn't dead when the. The husband shot him. The first time he tried to move. And then she shot him.

[Shane]

So they both shot.

[Emily Simpson]

They both allegedly shot him. Christine Banfield later died at the hospital from her injuries. I heard the 911 call, and then there's some body footage. Like when the police show up. It's chaotic. Can you imagine what the scene shows up? There's the au pair that's crying and screaming. There's the husband, There's a dead wife and there's another man, and there's weapons and there's a knife.

[Shane]

And cops come and they don't know who's who.

[Emily Simpson]

No.

[Shane]

Are you a murderer or are You a victim.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Right.

[Emily Simpson]

And they. They pull her outside, and they're trying to understand what's going on, and they're talking to her, and the husband's giving them a different story, and there's two dead.

[Shane]

Like, go wash your hands and we'll talk later.

[Emily Simpson]

It's so. It's. It's chaotic. Can you imagine, like, the scene, how chaotic that is? Wow. So then this happened in February of 2023. Then in October of 2023, Juliana was arrested and initially charged with second degree murder.

[Shane]

Took that long, huh?

[Emily Simpson]

She later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and agreed to testify against Brendan, telling investigators that she had shot Joseph as directed. You know, also, I don't know how much investigating they were doing after this chaotic scene and the wife dies and the. The man was there, there. But I did read that the investigators ended up going back to the home later after this incident occurred. I don't know if they were searching. I don't know if they were just going to talk to them again. But when they went into the home, this is what tipped them off. They go in the master bedroom. She had moved all of her clothes in, and all of the photos that used to be Brendan and his wife were all replaced in frames with him and the au pair.

[Shane]

Like, all right, everything needs to be this. Phase two. Remove the photos.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

Sleep in my bed.

[Emily Simpson]

I think that was the turning point in the investigation where they were like, they. She just.

[Shane]

He moved on really quickly.

[Emily Simpson]

He moved on quickly. She moved in. She moved her clothes in, and she took all the photos of the woman out and put her photos in with him. So. And allegedly, now that she's talking. Right, because she took a plea deal.

[Shane]

Yeah.

[Emily Simpson]

She has all this evidence of them dating and going out on dates, but she would always cover his face. She would post, like, Snapchat and, like, going out on a date with her boyfriend, but she would always cover his face. But now she's saying, no, that, you know, that was. That was him. Like, we. We went to bars and restaurants and we were dating and we were together.

[Shane]

So these two thinking when they sit down and they write up this plan, I don't know how many different versions did they have, too, where they're like,

[Emily Simpson]

no, no, no, not a rape fantasy. Let's do. Yeah, like, guy. Yeah.

[Shane]

Oh, no, make sure he brings a knife, not a gun. And all these. And then they thought. Then at one point, they thought, yeah, this is good. This is good. We're gonna get away with it, and

[Emily Simpson]

let's do it like where do you. Like where. At what point do you think? I guess they didn't. There was never a point where they thought, this doesn't really sound like a great idea.

[Shane]

I know. Yeah. I'd love to interview those people.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

I wonder that actually said I was gonna murder my wife and I planned it all. And then I changed my mind.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Mind?

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah. Oh, you wanna.

[Shane]

You want to know, like, what, what changed your mind?

[Emily Simpson]

So then September to October of 2024, Banfield was arrested nearly two years after the killings following a traffic stop. Prosecutors presented evidence of his romantic relationship with Juliana, photos from the home and other materials indicating planning and execution of the murders. At the time, Banfield worked as an IRS Criminal Investigation Division agent. Then this. This was last week. So January of 2026, Banfield's trial begins. He faces charges including aggravated murder, use of a firearm, and a felony child abuse and child neglect.

[Shane]

So she's not on trial anymore? Like she was sentenced and everything?

[Emily Simpson]

Well, no, she hasn't had her sentencing yet. Her sentencing is after his trial. But she's the star witness against him.

[Shane]

But she's pled guilty and that's all accepted and everything.

[Emily Simpson]

She got a plea deal. She pled guilty to manslaughter and that was accepted. And. Yes. So then she has to be sentenced. So now she's the star witness for the prosecution, basically saying that he was the mastermind and he controlled everything and he made the fetish website and he, he did everything. Now, what it's going to come down to, because there's a jury of 16 people that are hearing this trial, it's going to come down to, do they believe her? Is she credible?

[Shane]

Well, well, he, he, he. They killed her.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah, but, but, yes, but.

[Shane]

So it's.

[Emily Simpson]

But the defense is going to say she's the mastermind.

[Shane]

What I'm suggesting is he'll still be convicted of some level of homicide if he pulled the trigger.

[Emily Simpson]

We don't know that. That's what I'm saying. No one knows exactly what happened in that house. You think his defense is going to say that he did pull the trigger? They're going to say she was the mastermind. She pulled the trigger, she stabbed him.

[Shane]

Okay.

[Emily Simpson]

And that he was an innocent bystander.

[Shane]

Like he just came home and his wife was being attacked.

[Emily Simpson]

Yeah.

[Shane]

Well, that's far fetched because they're out. Well, I, I don't know. It'll. It'll matter what kind of evidence there is, because you're right. I was about to say. Well, they have photos and they're out all the time. But it could be like, yeah, we're out of time and I was having an affair and then she took it to another level.

[Emily Simpson]

Right.

[Shane]

And then she killed her and then she moved into my room.

[Emily Simpson]

If she is not credible, that's going to put reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury and you know, you only need reasonable doubt to.

[Shane]

Yeah, but they also might see her like you, you're going to see her and be like, oh yeah, some Brazilian au pair. Of course he did it.

[Emily Simpson]

Well, we'll see. Also the defense has claimed and it'll be interesting to see because they're, they're putting on their case this week and we'll follow that. But they, the defense attorney claims that they have digital evidence that's going to dispute what she says.

[Shane]

They always say that. I know, who cares?

[Emily Simpson]

I know, but let's see what it is. I mean, what forensics. They have to dispute her claims. And that'll be interesting to see because the defense attorney says people lie, but for, but forensics don't lie.

[Shane]

Yeah, like the blood on your client's hands.

[Emily Simpson]

Yes, but they didn't take, they didn't swab it. So we can't get her DNA off of his hands at this point. It'll be interesting to follow this case, that's for sure. So anyway.

[Shane]

Well, whose blood would it be?

[Emily Simpson]

Maybe it was them.

[Shane]

Well, you need again, he's, he's. I don't know.

[Emily Simpson]

I'm just saying the, the defense, this is what the defense is going to do. They're going to create reasonable doubt by, by blasting her credibility. They're going to paint her. Oh, because also she was also having communications with producers talking about how she wants to make a, you know, a reality show. Not a reality show, like sell her story like you know, after the murders, like a Hulu and a special. I mean this story, Are you kidding? This story is made for tv. Like this isn't going to be made into a documentary, a three part series, a Lifetime movie.

[Shane]

That's right.

[Emily Simpson]

This, this story, this story is stranger than fiction. Like if someone wrote this story and gave it to someone, they'd be like, that's too far fetched. That would never happen. I did, but it did. So I'm saying she's already been caught having communications with media and media type outlets to sell her story. So I'm saying the defense is really going to focus on her credibility.

[Shane]

Well, that, that would tend to lean more words. She's a mastermind.

[Emily Simpson]

Right. So I'm saying they're going to try to create her as the mastermind that wanted to take the wife's place. And, you know, he's just this ding dong that just was having an affair.

[Shane]

Right.

[Emily Simpson]

So we will continue to follow the au pair affair because I'm highly invested and let me know, I want to know with the women out there, like, what your thoughts are on hiring an au pair that's.

[Shane]

Well, I want other men's opinions.

[Emily Simpson]

A 21 year old AU pair that moves into your house and you know is Brazilian, so.

[Narrator/Podcast Promoter]

Okay.

[Shane]

You keep looking at me like I did something wrong. I didn't do anything wrong.

[Emily Simpson]

I don't know, I just, I. I know.

[Shane]

You keep looking. I didn't hire no bear. I don't take care of the kids myself.

[Emily Simpson]

I know. We don't have no pair. We have Shade. All right, guys, thank you so much for listening to Legally Brunette. We appreciate it. And as always, please be sure to follow us, listen to us wherever you listen to podcasts, tell your friends and family. And again, if you have any suggestions on cases, please DM me. I always love to hear your feedback and also if you have the chance, leave a review. So thanks for listening.

[Shane]

Thank you.