
Evil way Texas man aborted girlfriend's baby without her even knowing
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was arrested on Friday and charged with capital murder after allegedly spiking his girlfriend's drink with the so-called 'Plan C' pill.
The US Bureau of Prisons IT worker is accused of ordering the abortion-inducing pill online after his girlfriend told him she didn't want to terminate the pregnancy in October 2024.
The Plan C pill is used to abort a pregnancy of up to 12 weeks, compared to Plan B which is used to block pregnancy within 72 hours of intercourse.
The alleged victim was six-weeks pregnant when authorities say she met Banta at a Tarrant County coffee shop.
She had just recently had a sonogram and learned the baby had 'a strong heartbeat, displayed good vital signs and was said to be healthy by her doctor,' according to Parker County Sheriff's Office.
When she arrived at the Burleson coffee shop to discuss the pregnancy, Banta had allegedly already purchased her a drink.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage at the coffee shop which showed her consuming the drink, according to an affidavit obtained by the Dallas Morning News.
'The next day, the victim stated she began to suffer from extreme fatigue and heavy bleeding, prompting her to visit the emergency room,' authorities said.
'The victim reported she lost her baby on Oct. 19, which she believed was a result of the drugs Banta had previously placed in her drink at the coffee shop without her permission.'
During an interview with police, Banta told them he knew they were looking to discuss the miscarriage with him and also told police he ordered the Plan C pills on his phone, Fox 13 reported.
As the investigation into the accusations began, Banta's phone was taken for evidence.
But investigator's believed that Banta allegedly performed a 'reset' on the device, erasing 'crucial' evidence related to the case.
The Bureau of Prisons Director William Marshall III told the Morning News that he 'will use every authority, every tool and every ounce of influence I have to ensure those individuals are held accountable, and will do so publicly to send a clear message: if you dishonor the uniform, you will be held accountable. Full stop.'
Banta was booked into Parker County Jail on Friday on a charged from the PCSO for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder
Banta's lawyer Michael Heiskell has disputed the charges and claimed the accusations were a result of a romantic relationship that 'went awry.'
'He is innocent of these accusations,' he told the Morning News.
'We intend to litigate this court, and at the end of the day we expect him to be exonerated of these charges and lies against him.'
Banta was booked into Parker County Jail on Friday on a charged from the PCSO for tampering with physical evidence and a charge from the Texas Rangers for capital murder.
He was released the same day on a $500,000 bond for the murder charge and a $20,000 bond for the evidence tampering charge.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Appalling text Phoenix news anchor sent husband that ended with their lives in ruins
A glamorous ex-news anchor convicted of a billion-dollar fintech scheme sent a text to her husband admitting they were fraudulently applying for government funds. Stephanie Hockridge-Reis's appalling message to her husband Nathan Reis emerged as Reis took a plea deal over his part in the Covid-19 funding scam. The couple were accused of submitting false applications for Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans during the height of the pandemic. Hockridge-Reis, 42, pleaded not guilty, but a federal jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June this year. She was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors allege the couple coached borrowers to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications and received kickbacks once the funds were secured. The former KNXV-TV anchor claimed her actions were a 'sincere effort to support small businesses' in navigating a chaotic government problem during an era of 'unprecedented need'. But a text message she reportedly sent to Reis, 47, that appears to admit guilt has re-emerged after he pleaded guilty to their crime. 'This is us trying to apply for free money — when we don't quite qualify. lol,' she texted Reis, according to a federal indictment obtained by The Arizona Republic. Stephanie Hockridge-Reis allegedly sent a text to her husband admitting that she knew they were 'trying to apply for free money — when we don't quite qualify' Reis was scheduled to stand trial this month but entered into a plea deal on Monday, court records show. He will be sentenced in November. A federal jury found Hockridge-Reis guilty of conspiracy following the end of her trial in June. The case centered on Blueacorn, the fintech firm the couple co-founded in April 2020, just weeks after Hockridge-Reis left her anchor job. Blueacorn claimed to help small businesses navigate the PPP loan process, a lifeline created by Congress to keep workers employed during the Covid crisis. In reality, investigators say the company became a fraud factory. According to a congressional subcommittee, Blueacorn processed over $12.5 billion in loans and pocketed up to $300 million for its ownership group, while spending virtually nothing on fraud prevention. While many small businesses struggled to survive during the pandemic, the Reis family were living large, filming videos with bricks of cash, flaunting Rolex watches, and vacationing on the balconies of tropical locales. The court was shown photos of her holding stacks of $100 bills in a bathtub and video captured at a luxury beachfront apartment in Puerto Rico, where the couple had relocated to avoid US capital gains tax. The jury also saw internal messages encouraging staff to 'push through' loan applications with no regard for red flags and a so-called 'VIPPP' list that allowed high-dollar clients to bypass security checks. 'Who the f*** cares,' she allegedly said in one message about improperly rejected applicants. 'We're not the first bank to decline borrowers who deserve to be funded… They can go elsewhere.' Another text cited by prosecutors reportedly described her as 'the MVP' of the operation. Hockridge-Reis, an Emmy-nominated journalist who once graced magazine covers as ' Arizona 's Favorite Newscaster', will appear in court for sentencing on October 10. She faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy conviction. According to court filings, the couple submitted fraudulent PPP applications for themselves, including one claiming Reis was both African American and a military veteran - both lies. They received at least $300,000 in personal PPP funds. They also charged borrowers illegal 'success fees,' violating SBA rules, and even struck kickback deals with banks, collecting percentages of loans that were funded, prosecutors alleged. Blueacorn's practices were so brazen that Congress launched a formal investigation, revealing that while the company collected over $1 billion in taxpayer-funded processing fees, it spent only $8.6 million on fraud prevention, less than 1 percent of its intake. She spent seven years as a respected anchor for the Phoenix-based ABC affiliate and previously worked for CBS News Radio in London. Her career accolades include an Emmy nomination and features in local lifestyle publications One congressional report summarized the company's internal directive succinctly: Speed over accuracy. Some employees, with zero financial training, were reportedly processing hundreds of loans in under 30 seconds each. 'This was not about helping small businesses,' a federal official close to the investigation said. 'It was about siphoning off a national crisis for personal gain.' During the trial, federal attorneys also introduced a superseding indictment alleging that the couple fabricated payroll records, tax documents, and bank statements. In one application, Hockridge-Reis and Reis claimed to own an Amazon business generating six figures. Another loan was issued to a nonexistent company they claimed had multiple employees. The couple allegedly rerouted money through a chain of bank accounts, using interstate wires to disguise their tracks. Federal investigators say that Reis played a central role in overseeing Blueacorn's day-to-day operations and financial distributions - and helped foster the toxic culture that prioritized profit above all else. Reis plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on Monday. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 21 and also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The couple's case was also connected to Eric and Anthony Karnezis, two men who earlier this year pleaded guilty to PPP fraud in a related case. Eric Karnezis agreed to pay between $25 million and $65 million in restitution; Anthony agreed to repay between $3.5 million and $9.5 million. The convictions underscore what federal watchdogs have called the largest fraud wave in US history - fueled by emergency Covid aid programs and exploited by thousands of bad actors. The Paycheck Protection Program, meant to protect workers, became a cash cow for predators.


Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Anti-Trump internet star's attempt to debunk DC crime spiral ends in disaster
A viral internet account known for posting about Washington DC was ridiculed online after its attempt to prove ' crime isn't that bad' backfired massively. Washingtonian Problems, an anti-MAGA account that focuses on DC's issues, asked its followers to post positive traits about the ailing city to 'push back' against Trump. However, the account was quickly inundated with comments from locals that only served to prove that Trump 's law enforcement takeover is warranted. The X account wrote: 'Hey DC, let's push back against the negative narrative about our city. Share why you love our beautiful home and help show the world the real DC.' Testimonials came in thick and fast from people who had been the victims of serious crimes - who were happy that the National Guard are being deployed. 'I've been held up at gunpoint, had my car broken into 3 times, and had my bike stolen. My credit card has been skimmed too many times to count and I can't send my kids to public school here because they're a joke,' wrote Bret Manley, a children's book author based in the D.C. area. Multiple people wrote that they or people they knew have been robbed or mugged in front of police officers who declined to intervene. 'My car was broken into. One friend had a car stolen from in front of his place, another was carjacked at gun point. I've had to assist someone who was shot while I was just trying to drunkenly make my way home from a bar,' another person wrote. 'F*** you. Thank god for the new enforcement.' Pictured: The account, Washingtonian Problems, wrote this on Monday hoping to spread positivity about the nation's capital Grayson Quay, a conservative writer and former editor at The Daily Caller, wrote about a time he was assaulted on the Metro. 'It was really cool when a guy headbutted me on the metro after I asked him to stop blasting music through his phone speakers,' he wrote. 'And then there was the time a bum spat on me for no reason.' Tim Kennedy, a producer for outlet The Daily Signal, recalled a quadruple shooting at King Street Oyster Bar in August 2024 that killed two people. 'The D.C. chief of police blamed the restaurant for not properly locking up their patio at night,' Kennedy wrote. 'No, this actually happened.' The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) released a statement at the time saying that the restaurant, which was closed at the time of the shooting, failed to secure its patio and allowed people to gather. 'Without preventative measures, the open patio contributed to the group establishing themselves and continue to grow, leading to the gun violence that resulted in four people being shot, two of which are deceased, and significant property damage,' the department said in a statement. Other commenters talked about the mental toll of living in a city with high crime, including conservative political strategist Sarah Selip. 'As a woman #TheRealDC means carrying pepper spray day and night. Not wearing headphones after dark. Taking off your engagement ring when walking the dogs,' she wrote. The more constructive replies to Washingtonian Problems accused the account of being tone deaf and unwilling to acknowledge reality. 'It's a beautiful city but it's not negativity to admit that the crime is out of control,' one person wrote. The same day Washingtonian Problems made this post attempting to 'push back against the negative narrative about our city,' a man was shot to death in D.C.'s Logan Circle neighborhood. As of August 2025, violent crime has plummeted by 26 percent since last year, according to the MPD. Homicide is down 11 percent, while sex abuse offenses have been cut in half. However, there is potentially reason to doubt these statistics, since MPD placed 3rd District Commander Michael Pulliam on leave last month over accusations of manipulating crime data. D.C. Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton told NBC 4 he doesn't believe there has been as large of a crime drop as local officials have claimed. 'There's potentially a drop from where we were in 2023. I think that there's a possibility that crime has come down. But the department is reporting that in 2024, crime went down 35 percent -- violent crime – and another 25 percent through August of this year,' Pemberton said. 'That is preposterous to suggest that cumulatively we've seen 60-plus percent drops in violent crime from where we were in '23, because we're out on the street. We know the calls we're responding to,' he added. Since Trump took over the MPD and mobilized the National Guard, the White House claimed that more than 100 people have been arrested.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Florida's first black bear hunt in a decade approved despite strong opposition
The first black bear hunt in Florida in a decade will take place in December under a rule adopted Wednesday by state wildlife officials despite strong opposition to the eventual use of dogs and targeting the animals in baited locations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously in favor of the plan during a meeting that drew 168 people for a public hearing in the Panhandle town of Havana, with both supporters and opposents present. The panel had given preliminary approval in May, citing a need to manage growing bear populations. 'We make decisions based on science," said commission chair Rodney Barreto. Opponents called the hunt cruel, unnecessary and an excuse for hunters to bag a trophy animal when the real issue is the encroaching human population in bear habitat as Florida continues to grow. 'Not all the hunters support this hunt. We'd like to see nature in balance," said Lauren Jorgensen, whose family owns a ranch in rural Suwannee County. There are an estimated 4,000 black bears in Florida, one of the few states with sizable populations that do not have a bear hunting season. Several pro-hunt speakers noted that bears are much more commonly seen in many areas than in the past, causing interactions with humans that provoke fear and concern. Ottice Amison, a member of the Franklin County Commission, said residents there report bears on porches, rooting through garbage cans, roaming neighborhoods and playgrounds. 'The reality is that the frequency and severity of bear interactions continues to rise," Amison told the wildlife commission. 'Right now, too many of our residents see bears as threats and pests.' There has been only one documented fatal black bear attack in Florida, the May mauling of 89-year-old Robert Markel and his daughter's dog in a rural part of Collier County, in southwest Florida. The plan adopted Wednesday has more stringent rules than the previous Florida hunt in 2015, in which hunting permits were provided to anyone who could pay for them. That led to a chaotic event shut down days early after 300-plus bears were killed, including at least 38 females with cubs, meaning the young bears probably died too. Hunt opponents predict this year will be more of the same. 'This decision reflects political pressure, not ecological necessity or public will,' said Susannah Randolph, director of the Sierra Club Florida chapter. Under the new rule, there would be a random drawing of permits with a limit of 187. Hunters could kill only one bear each and only in certain parts of Florida where the bear population is large enough. There would be no killing of cubs and none of females with cubs, according to the FWC staff. A permit would cost $100 for Florida residents and $300 for nonresidents. For 2025, the plan is to hold the hunt from Dec. 6 to Dec. 28. In the future, the FWC foresees a bear hunt between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, subject to more studies about the effect of hunting and the population of the animals. In future years, hunters could use up to six dogs each to pursue bears. Private landowners with 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares) or more could hold what the FWC calls a 'bear harvest program' on their property under the proposal. Bears could be hunted at bait feeding stations on private property. Also, bowhunting will be allowed under rules similar to those for deer.