Officer Brendan Miller Was Transferred After His Findings Cleared Brendan Banfield — FBI Responds
Podcast:Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary Published On: Sun Jan 18 2026 Description: Officer Brendan Miller analyzed 60 devices. His conclusion contradicted the prosecution's entire theory. Then he was transferred out of digital forensics and told he'd never work another case in the unit.Miller's finding was straightforward: Christine Banfield — not her husband Brendan — appeared to control the FetLife account prosecutors claim was used to lure Joseph Ryan to the Banfield home on February 24, 2023. The University of Alabama peer-reviewed his analysis and confirmed it. The lead homicide detective who also disagreed with command staff was reassigned. The original prosecutor was removed after being cited for drinking at 8 a.m.Retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer has seen investigations go wrong before. She's not holding back on this one.Christine Banfield, 37, was stabbed to death in her Herndon, Virginia home. Joseph Ryan, 39, was shot twice by two different guns. The Banfields' 4-year-old daughter was in the basement. Prosecutors allege Brendan Banfield and au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes were having an affair and conspired to stage the murders as self-defense.But the timeline raises questions. Nineteen months to charge Banfield. Eight months before a key piece of evidence was collected. Twenty-four competing theories existed before the au pair changed her story. Juliana faced murder charges for a year before flipping. Her plea deal lets her walk free if she testifies against Banfield.Judge Penney Azcarate ordered prosecutors to turn over all communications related to Miller's transfer. The defense calls this case "a theory in search of facts."Coffindaffer examines what the FBI would have done differently from day one — and why the problems in this investigation were apparent long before a single witness took the stand.#BrendanBanfield #ChristineBanfield #BrendanMiller #JulianaPeresMagalhaes #FetLife #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #MurderTrial #DigitalForensics #TrueCrimeJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.