Parker County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division arrested 38-year-old Justin Anthony Banta on Friday, June 6, 2025, in connection with a capital murder investigation involving his pregnant girlfriend.
Sheriff Russ Authier said the investigation also uncovered evidence that Banta tampered with crucial evidence during the months-long inquiry.
The victim reported that Banta deliberately added “Plan C,” a medication commonly used to induce abortion, into her drink without her knowledge or consent, in an attempt to force her to terminate the pregnancy.
The victim and Banta had been in a romantic relationship since at least September 2024. At that time, she informed Banta that she was pregnant. Banta initially offered to cover the cost of an abortion and suggested ordering the “Plan C” medication online. However, the victim made it clear that she wanted to keep the baby.
On October 17, 2024, when the victim was approximately six weeks pregnant, she attended a sonogram appointment. The doctor confirmed that the fetus had a strong heartbeat and good vital signs, indicating a healthy pregnancy.
Later that same day, the victim met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County. During the meeting, she expressed her suspicion that Banta had secretly slipped abortion-inducing pills into her drink. The next day, October 18, she began experiencing severe fatigue and heavy bleeding. Concerned for her health, she sought emergency medical care.
On October 19, the victim suffered a miscarriage. She believes the loss was directly caused by the unauthorized ingestion of “Plan C” that Banta had administered without her permission.
Following these events, investigators interviewed Banta and collected his cell phone as evidence. Sheriff’s investigators later discovered that Banta, who works in the IT Department of the U.S. Department of Justice, remotely accessed and performed a “reset” on his phone. This action deleted critical evidence related to the case, leading to an additional charge of tampering with physical evidence.
Banta was arrested and booked into Parker County Jail on charges of tampering with physical evidence from the Parker County Sheriff’s Office and capital murder charges filed by the Texas Rangers in Tarrant County. Sheriff Authier stated that the investigation and prosecution remain ongoing, and further details will not be disclosed at this time.
Sheriff Authier acknowledged the cooperation of the coffee shop owners and staff, along with the dedicated efforts of Parker County Sheriff’s Office investigators, Texas Rangers, Benbrook Police Department, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Digital Forensics and Technical Services, the U.S. Secret Service, the Regional Organized Crime Information Center (ROCIC), and the FBI in supporting this complex investigation.
