Texas man charged with capital murder for allegedly giving pregnant partner abortion pills
Law enforcement has arrested a North Texas man and charged him with capital murder for the death of his unborn child.
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, is accused of secretly giving his pregnant girlfriend an abortion-inducing drug that resulted in the unborn child's death, according to a press release from the Parker County Sheriff's Office.
Here's what we know about the case.
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Banta was arrested on Friday, June 6, on charges of capital murder and tampering with evidence "in the months-long investigation," Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier says.
The victim and Banta's then-partner, whose identity has not been made public, says he intentionally added an abortion-inducing drug to her drink in September of last year. The two were in a romantic relationship when she found out she was pregnant. When she told Banta of the pregnancy, he allegedly said he would cover the cost of an abortion and "suggested they order the 'Plan C' online." The victim says she told Banta that she wished to continue the pregnancy.
Banta's then-partner was about six weeks pregnant when she went to a doctor for a sonogram. Her doctor reportedly told her the unborn baby had a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs and appeared to be healthy.
The same day, the victim says she met Banta at a Tarrant County coffee shop. This is where she suspects Banta added abortion-inducing pills to her drink without her knowledge or consent.
The victim told police that she began experiencing symptoms the next day, including extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding. She reported going to the emergency room, then losing the baby on Oct. 19.
The Parker County Sheriff's Office reports collecting Banta's cell phone as evidence after interviewing him. Despite this, law enforcement claims Banta was able to tamper with the evidence — a skill thought to be connected to his job.
"Sheriff's investigators believe Banta, who works at the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, later accessed the phone remotely and performed a 'reset,' thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case," the release from local police states.
After local investigators got a felony arrest warrant for Banta, he was taken into custody on June 6 and booked into the Parker County Jail.
The Parker County Sheriff's Office has charged Banta with tampering with physical evidence, and the Texas Rangers filed a capital murder charge in Tarrant County.
"Sheriff Authier expressed his gratitude to the owners and staff of the coffee shop... for their full cooperation, along with the efforts of Parker County Sheriff's Office investigators, the Texas Rangers, Benbrook Police, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Digital Forensic and Technical Services, the U.S. Secret Service, the Regional Organized Crime Information Center (ROCIC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their support and resources throughout this extensive investigation," the press release concluded.
The cases against Banta are still active and awaiting prosecution, Sheriff Authier added. No further details will be made public due to the ongoing investigation.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas man arrested, charged for allegedly forcing abortion on partner
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