Topline: Authorities say the man secretly laced his girlfriend’s drink with abortion pills after she refused to end the pregnancy.
Published: June 11, 2025 9:00 am ET
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Justin Banta (via Parker County Sheriff's Office)
PARKER COUNTY, TX — A Texas man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after allegedly slipping abortion-inducing medication into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink without her knowledge, resulting in the loss of her unborn child.
According to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Justin Anthony Banta was taken into custody on Friday, June 6, 2025, following a months-long investigation. Authorities say Banta, an employee of the U.S. Department of Justice’s IT department, is also facing a separate charge of tampering with physical evidence.
The investigation stems from a report made by the victim in September 2024. At the time, she told investigators that she had informed Banta, her then-boyfriend, that she was pregnant. While Banta allegedly offered to pay for an abortion and suggested they obtain “Plan C” — a commonly used term for abortion pills acquired online — the woman said she made it clear she intended to keep the baby.
On October 17, 2024, the woman attended a sonogram appointment and was told by her doctor that the fetus had a strong heartbeat and was developing healthily. Later that same day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, where she began to suspect he had secretly placed abortion-inducing drugs in her drink, police said.
The following day, the victim experienced severe fatigue and heavy bleeding. She was hospitalized on October 19 and was told she had lost the pregnancy. She later told investigators she believed the miscarriage was the result of drugs Banta had covertly placed in her beverage, according to police.
During the investigation, Banta was interviewed and his cellphone was collected as evidence. Investigators later determined that he had accessed the phone remotely and performed a factory reset, allegedly deleting key evidence, police said.
Banta is now facing two separate charges: one for tampering with evidence, filed by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, and one for capital murder, filed in Tarrant County by the Texas Rangers.
“The cases against Banta remain active and are awaiting prosecution,” said Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier. “Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details are being released at this time.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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DOJ Employee Allegedly Slipped Abortion Drug into Girlfriend’s Drink, Then Wiped His Phone
Authorities say the man secretly laced his girlfriend’s drink with abortion pills after she refused to end the pregnancy.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 11, 2025 9:00 am ET
Justin Banta (via Parker County Sheriff's Office)
PARKER COUNTY, TX — A Texas man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after allegedly slipping abortion-inducing medication into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink without her knowledge, resulting in the loss of her unborn child.
According to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Justin Anthony Banta was taken into custody on Friday, June 6, 2025, following a months-long investigation. Authorities say Banta, an employee of the U.S. Department of Justice’s IT department, is also facing a separate charge of tampering with physical evidence.
The investigation stems from a report made by the victim in September 2024. At the time, she told investigators that she had informed Banta, her then-boyfriend, that she was pregnant. While Banta allegedly offered to pay for an abortion and suggested they obtain “Plan C” — a commonly used term for abortion pills acquired online — the woman said she made it clear she intended to keep the baby.
On October 17, 2024, the woman attended a sonogram appointment and was told by her doctor that the fetus had a strong heartbeat and was developing healthily. Later that same day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, where she began to suspect he had secretly placed abortion-inducing drugs in her drink, police said.
The following day, the victim experienced severe fatigue and heavy bleeding. She was hospitalized on October 19 and was told she had lost the pregnancy. She later told investigators she believed the miscarriage was the result of drugs Banta had covertly placed in her beverage, according to police.
During the investigation, Banta was interviewed and his cellphone was collected as evidence. Investigators later determined that he had accessed the phone remotely and performed a factory reset, allegedly deleting key evidence, police said.
Banta is now facing two separate charges: one for tampering with evidence, filed by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, and one for capital murder, filed in Tarrant County by the Texas Rangers.
“The cases against Banta remain active and are awaiting prosecution,” said Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier. “Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details are being released at this time.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
DOJ Employee Allegedly Slipped Abortion Drug into Girlfriend’s Drink, Then Wiped His Phone
Authorities say the man secretly laced his girlfriend’s drink with abortion pills after she refused to end the pregnancy.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 11, 2025 9:00 am ET
Justin Banta (via Parker County Sheriff's Office)
PARKER COUNTY, TX — A Texas man has been arrested and charged with capital murder after allegedly slipping abortion-inducing medication into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink without her knowledge, resulting in the loss of her unborn child.
According to the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, 38-year-old Justin Anthony Banta was taken into custody on Friday, June 6, 2025, following a months-long investigation. Authorities say Banta, an employee of the U.S. Department of Justice’s IT department, is also facing a separate charge of tampering with physical evidence.
The investigation stems from a report made by the victim in September 2024. At the time, she told investigators that she had informed Banta, her then-boyfriend, that she was pregnant. While Banta allegedly offered to pay for an abortion and suggested they obtain “Plan C” — a commonly used term for abortion pills acquired online — the woman said she made it clear she intended to keep the baby.
On October 17, 2024, the woman attended a sonogram appointment and was told by her doctor that the fetus had a strong heartbeat and was developing healthily. Later that same day, she met Banta at a coffee shop in Tarrant County, where she began to suspect he had secretly placed abortion-inducing drugs in her drink, police said.
The following day, the victim experienced severe fatigue and heavy bleeding. She was hospitalized on October 19 and was told she had lost the pregnancy. She later told investigators she believed the miscarriage was the result of drugs Banta had covertly placed in her beverage, according to police.
During the investigation, Banta was interviewed and his cellphone was collected as evidence. Investigators later determined that he had accessed the phone remotely and performed a factory reset, allegedly deleting key evidence, police said.
Banta is now facing two separate charges: one for tampering with evidence, filed by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, and one for capital murder, filed in Tarrant County by the Texas Rangers.
“The cases against Banta remain active and are awaiting prosecution,” said Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier. “Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details are being released at this time.”
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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