From bravery to burglary: How a decorated cop ended up in handcuffs after allegedly going on violent home invasion



An off-duty New Jersey cop was arrested after she allegedly broke into a residence and assaulted two victims, according to police.

Rebecca Sayegh — a 32-year-old officer with the Toms River Police Department — was arrested and charged with two counts each of assault, two counts of criminal mischief, one count of terroristic threats, one count of home invasion burglary, and one count of resisting arrest, according to jail records.

'Sayegh previously was commended and presented an award for her "bravery" as part of rescuing a woman and her pets from a January 2021 Toms River house fire.'

Sayegh used a baton to smash the front door glass of a home in the Bayville neighborhood around 11:20 p.m. Friday, according to the criminal complaint.

Citing court documents, NJ.com reported that Sayegh began arguing with her former boyfriend and a woman at the house.

The verbal altercation quickly escalated into a physical confrontation when Sayegh allegedly began pushing and shoving the man and woman.

One of the alleged victims suffered swelling to the eye, the complaint stated.

The man and woman reportedly restrained Sayegh in the living room before she “broke free” and smashed items in the house and knocked pictures off the wall, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Sayegh scratched one of the alleged victim's vehicles on the hood.

Once police responded to the crime scene, Sayegh allegedly attempted to fight with officers and needed to be physically restrained.

The complaint noted that Sayegh made a threat to burn down the house as cops escorted her down the property's driveway.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office stated: "Sayegh was taken into custody at the scene — after having resisted efforts to peacefully place her under arrest."

"Prosecutor Billhimer commends the Berkeley Township Police Department for their efforts in connection with this investigation," the prosecutor's office noted.

Sayegh reportedly was suspended with pay.

Sayegh's attorney, Terrance Turnbach, told NJ.com: "Officer Sayegh understands the significance of the charges filed against her. She has been a member of the Toms River Police Department and proudly served her community for almost nine years. She is taking all of the appropriate steps to properly address the matter at hand and will remain cooperative throughout the pending legal proceedings."

Sayegh is being detained without bail at the Ocean County Jail ahead of her court appearance scheduled for Friday morning to determine if she will be granted bail.

Complicating issues, Sayegh has a lawsuit pending against the Toms River Police Department that was launched last year.

In November 2024, Sayegh filed a lawsuit against the township, former Police Chief Mitch Little, former Capt. Shaun O'Keefe, former Deputy Chief Patrick Dellane, and Sgt. Matthew Broderick.

The lawyers for the defendants have called the lawsuit 'frivolous and without legal basis' and 'baseless and/or meritless.'

According to the Asbury Park Press, Sayegh claims there was a "boys club" culture in the department that led to her "being sexually harassed, passed over for promotions, and written up for supposed offenses that were ignored when committed by male officers."

Sayegh, who joined the department in 2017, claims O'Keefe "shamelessly" pursued a sexual relationship with her. She alleges that during a Toms River Police Foundation event at the Bey Lea Golf Course in June 2022, O'Keefe purportedly followed her into the women's restroom, took out his penis, and told her to perform oral sex on him.

O'Keefe retired from the department in 2021.

In April 2025, Superior Court Judge Robert E. Brenner dismissed the claims against O'Keefe without prejudice because the lawsuit was filed after the two-year statute of limitations had passed.

The lawyers for the defendants have called the lawsuit "frivolous and without legal basis" and "baseless and/or meritless."

Sayegh previously was commended and presented an award for her "bravery" as part of rescuing a woman and her pets from a January 2021 Toms River house fire.

"Officer Sayegh went to the front door and made entry, locating Ms. Nicolo and her pets. Officer Sayegh was able to escort Ms. Nicolo and her pets across the street to safety. Officer Sayegh is commended for her swift action, bravery, and lifesaving actions," the department stated.

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How a Hollywood hairstylist's murder by wife's ex-porn star lover revealed secrets, lust, and desire for life insurance payday



More than eight years have passed since a popular Hollywood hairstylist was stabbed to death on the patio of his home in an affluent San Fernando Valley neighborhood outside Los Angeles, California.

Now a high-profile murder trial has opened — and it has revealed secrets, lust, and a desire for a huge life insurance payday, all stemming from a deadly love triangle.

'Deny everything and don’t talk.'

Celebrity hairstylist Fabio Sementilli, 49, was found bleeding to death on the patio of his Woodland Hills home on Jan. 23, 2017. His 16-year-old daughter Isabella called 911 while trying in vain to save her father.

Sementilli suffered seven sharp force wounds to his face, jawline, chest, neck, arm, and thigh — and his wounds proved fatal.

Initially, police believed the stabbing death was connected to burglars who had committed a string of home thefts in the San Fernando Valley. The bedroom of Sementilli's home was ransacked, and his Porsche was stolen. The vehicle was found abandoned two days after his murder about five miles from the crime scene.

However, detectives noted that the alleged burglars didn't steal the Hollywood hairstylist's $8,000 Rolex watch — it was still on his wrist.

A neighbor's security camera also captured video of two hooded figures running near Sementilli's house around the time of the slaying.

In addition, on the day Fabio Sementilli was murdered, a neighbor's security camera caught his 52-year-old wife, Monica Sementilli, driving her black Ford F-150 pickup truck. Prosecutors said she drove to a Target retail store, and video appeared to show an individual getting into her truck in the parking lot.

Prosecutors accused Monica Sementilli of making a trip to Target to establish her alibi, according to CBS News.

Another man emerges

Detectives discovered that Monica Sementilli had a close relationship with Robert Louis Baker — a former porn star and convicted sex offender.

The pair reportedly met at the West Hills L.A. Fitness, where Baker was a racquetball coach.

Police said Monica Sementilli and Baker were seen together in cars, bars, a comedy club, and on two trips to Las Vegas, as well as an excursion to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

LAPD detectives hatched a plan to secretly listen to Monica and Baker from a van parked near the home she previously shared with her late husband.

With that, police pulled over the pair when Baker was driving Monica's black Ford Mustang GT on June 14, 2017 — less than six months after the murder. Officers allegedly told the couple that the car they were in might have been stolen. Monica and Baker were handcuffed and placed in the back seat of a police cruiser.

But little did the pair know that cops had wired the police vehicle to record their conversation.

Monica was recorded telling Baker, "Somebody must have talked. Somebody is doing this to us."

She also reportedly told him, “Deny everything and don’t talk.”

'Prosecutors have argued that Monica Sementilli "was the mastermind" of the plot to kill her husband, a Canadian hairstylist and executive of the German hair-care giant, Wella.'

The pair was arrested and taken to the LAPD Van Nuys Station for questioning.

On the day of her arrest, a detective told Monica that Baker's blood was found inside her home.

She allegedly said she "cracked" Baker on the finger with a racquet and he bled all over a racquetball court. Monica added that she gave him a towel and then brought that bloody towel home with her.

Investigators allegedly found DNA belonging to Baker at the crime scene. What's more, his DNA already was in a police database because he was a registered sex offender after being convicted for lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor in 1993.

According to prosecutors, Baker cut his left index finger when he killed Fabio.

The Los Angeles Times reported, "In more than 50 days of trial, prosecutors have argued that Monica Sementilli 'was the mastermind' of the plot to kill her husband, a Canadian hairstylist and executive of the German hair-care giant, Wella. Her goal was to pocket $1.6 million in life insurance and avoid the complications of getting a divorce, prosecutors allege."

Prosecutors also pointed out that Monica Sementilli upgraded the security camera system at her home six months before Fabio's brutal murder — but the upgrade allegedly allowed her to remotely access her surveillance cameras from her cell phone.

Prosecutors accused her of forwarding the security camera system's log-in credentials and user manual to Baker on the same day of the upgrade.

At the time Fabio Sementilli was killed, phone records reportedly showed Monica Sementilli's iPhone was connected to her home's IP address and that the phone was consuming a large amount of data consistent with streaming live video.

Prosecutors allege that she was watching live video from her home security cameras.

According to the indictment, detectives discovered thousands of phone calls and text messages exchanged between Monica and the ex-porn star.

During a grand jury hearing in August 2017, friends of Monica Sementilli and Baker testified that they went out on double dates and saw affectionate behavior between the pair.

Baker also allegedly admitted to buying burner phones — one of which was in Monica’s purse when she was arrested in her Ford Mustang GT.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman spotlighted that Monica Sementilli actually used the burner phone during her late husband's funeral proceedings in his hometown of Toronto, Canada.

Baker also allegedly admitted that Monica Sementilli sent him naked photos of herself with her wedding ring still on her finger shortly after her husband's murder.

“Everyone grieves differently,” Baker proclaimed.

At the conclusion of the grand jury hearing, Monica Sementilli and Baker both were indicted for murder and conspiracy, and they both pleaded not guilty to the murder of Fabio Sementilli.

However, Baker on July 7, 2023, changed his plea in connection with the hairstylist's murder from not guilty to no contest.

Baker was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

An alleged accomplice surfaces

Police determined that Christopher Austin, a parole officer in Oregon, was Baker's accomplice in killing Fabio.

Detectives said Baker transferred money between two of his bank accounts for Austin. Baker also bought an airline ticket for Austin to travel from Anchorage, Alaska, to Los Angeles before the slaying, according to the police.

Austin was arrested in October 2024 and then convicted of second-degree murder in connection with his role in the killing.

He is scheduled for sentencing next month and is facing up to 16 years in prison.

Austin said he and Baker had been to Sementilli's house before and knew the layout — and Austin also told the jury that Baker revealed to him a crucial piece of information.

He said Baker "told me ... she is gonna leave the door unlocked," and Austin allegedly testified that he opened the patio door and grabbed Fabio Sementilli by the mouth to muffle any screams while Baker repeatedly stabbed him.

In addition, Austin reportedly told the jury that the hairstylist’s widow “wanted him dead” so she could collect the life insurance payout and avoid a messy divorce.

But Baker testified at Monica Sementilli's trial last week that she had nothing to do with her husband's murder.

“I murdered him because I wanted her,” Baker told jurors in a Los Angeles courtroom. "She had nothing to do with it."

You can view video here of Baker explaining in court why he killed Fabio Sementilli.

Monica Sementilli’s attorney, Blair Berk, said during opening statements that there was no evidence that her client plotted to kill Fabio Sementilli.

"There is no statement, no text, no recorded phone call,” Berk said, adding that Monica Sementilli was “duped into believing that Robert Baker” didn’t do it.

Despite Baker being in prison, the pair reportedly continued to communicate via three-way calls using a third-party number.

"Baker acknowledged that in one secret message sent to him in prison, Monica Sementilli asked him to send her something personal of his," the Los Angeles Times reported. "Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies later seized a toothpaste tube that contained Baker’s semen, and prosecutors say he intended to have it delivered to the defendant."

Monica Sementilli, through her attorneys, has maintained her claim that she had no part in her husband's death.

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Twisted Texas love triangle: Couple allegedly plot ambush, kidnapping, murder of wife's alleged former lover — over dishonor



A Texas husband and wife allegedly attempted an ambush, kidnapping, and murder of the wife's alleged former lover over the weekend.

The victim — who did not want to be named due to fears for his life — allegedly had been having an affair with 35-year-old Hana Ahmad Alolaimi. Both the victim and Alolaimi reportedly were married to other people.

The victim said the angry husband told him he had to die because he had dishonored his wife.

Citing court records, KRIV-TV reported that the two would meet at a Chick-fil-A in West Houston and then would drive behind a nearby Target to be alone.

While court documents say the victim broke off the adulterous relationship three months ago after his wife found out, the victim and Alolaimi allegedly met Saturday in the parking lot at the same Chick-fil-A from their past meetings.

According to court documents, Alolaimi parked her vehicle and gestured to the victim to enter her vehicle.

When Alolaimi started to drive away, the victim — a 36-year-old DoorDash delivery driver — reportedly told her that he had to make a delivery and could not leave. She allegedly continued to drive from the Chick-fil-A.

The victim was unaware that 48-year-old Omar Mahmoud Bishtawi — the husband of Alolaimi — reportedly was hiding in the back seat of the vehicle.

"Your husband jumped out from under a curtain that was in the back seat of the vehicle, put the complaining witness in a chokehold, then pressed a firearm against the complaining witness' head," the prosecutor told Alolaimi at her hearing, according to KHOU.

The victim said the angry husband told him he had to die because he had dishonored his wife.

"With his left hand, he grabs me like this and says: 'You made fun of her,'" the victim told KHOU.

"I pulled the door handle, and thank God it opened in a matter of seconds," the victim said.

The prosecutor added, "The complaining witness tried to get away, and your husband shot the complaining witness two times."

The victim managed to get away, call for help, and then he was rushed to a hospital.

Court documents note that the victim was shot in the thigh and right foot, and he could have died from the shooting if he had not been taken to the hospital in time.

The victim told KHOU he still can't feel anything below one knee.

The suspects reportedly drove away but later surrendered to the Houston police who said Alolaimi and Bishtawi provided investigators with conflicting statements about the nearly fatal incident.

Bishtawi and Alolaimi are both charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Bishtawi's bond was set at $200,000 while Alolaimi's was set at $150,000.

Bishtawi and Alolaimi have three children ages 13, 10, and 7, according to court documents.

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National Guard husband vanishes, and his wife's alleged affair — and a new mattress — raise chilling questions of murder



A Utah mother allegedly shot her husband to death in their bed in September, according to claims by her alleged lover. The husband has been missing since last month.

Jennifer Gledhill, 41, told police she and her estranged husband met to talk Sept. 20 and began “drinking whiskey," according to an arrest report.

The mother of three allegedly told her lover that she transported her husband's body "north, dug a hole, and buried him in a shallow grave."

Gledhill and her husband — 51-year-old Matthew Johnson — allegedly agreed to have sex that night.

"Jennifer informed [the officer] due to the intoxication from the whiskey she had a hard time recalling the events that took place after her and Matthew had sex," the warrant states, according to KSTU-TV.

Johnson — a member of the Utah National Guard — was reported missing Sept. 23.

The next day, Gledhill reportedly contacted the Cottonwood Heights Police Department to file a domestic violence incident report against her husband.

She allegedly informed an officer that "bruises were all over her body," and she wanted them photographed for evidence.

The warrant noted that an officer noticed several bruises on Gledhill's arms, hands, legs, and a bruise under her left eye.

Gledhill claimed Johnson "became upset," but she could not remember why, according to the warrant.

"Jennifer informed me she remembered Matthew was on top of her with a closed fist striking her several times," Gledhill reportedly told police.

However, an informant told investigators a different story.

An unnamed man who claimed to be having an affair with Gledhill reportedly told police that she informed him that she sustained bruises from "moving Matthew’s body and cleaning the mess in the house."

'I washed everything & vacuumed & it's not an issue anymore.'

The alleged lover also made another bombshell accusation.

Fox News reported that the lover informed investigators that Gledhill came over to his house on Sept. 22, and she told him that she was "likely going away for a long time."

According to police, the informant claimed that Gledhill told him that she and Johnson got into a fight on Sept. 20 "because he knew she had been sleeping with someone else."

The informant allegedly told police Gledhill confessed to him that she shot Johnson in the head with his 9mm Glock "as he slept in their shared bed."

Court documents said Gledhill told her lover "that she loaded Matthew’s body into a rooftop storage container, slid him down the stairs by herself, and loaded him into the back of her minivan."

Documents added that the mother of three allegedly told her lover that she transported her husband's body "north, dug a hole, and buried him in a shallow grave."

The probable cause affidavit noted that Gledhill sent the informant text messages and messages on WhatsApp, including one that reportedly read: "I washed everything & vacuumed & it's not an issue anymore."

Gledhill told the informant that if she were told a story like the one she told him that "she would take it to the grave," according to court documents.

A neighbor reportedly told police that she witnessed Gledhill’s parents inside the home "cleaning" the garage and "moving things around" on Sept. 24. The suspect's mother reportedly confirmed to investigators that she was at her daughter's house Sept. 24.

Johnson has yet to be found.

'Take it to the grave.'

Detectives found Johnson's truck and his cellphone inside it less than a mile from his home.

While serving a search warrant at Gledhill’s residence, detectives allegedly noted that the mattress in the master bedroom "appeared to be brand new."

Prosecutors claimed, "The evidence is significant that defendant obstructed the investigation by removing the mattress she admitted to [the] informant that she shot Matthew on while he was sleeping and replaced days later with a new mattress."

Gledhill’s mother allegedly told detectives that she purchased a new mattress from Amazon at Gledhill’s request.

"Additionally, the entire wall behind the master bed appeared to have fresh wipe marks from cleaning," court documents state. "Several reddish-brown spots were located on the walls, bed frame, and blinds of the master bedroom. Detectives noted that the wall behind the master bed was covered in bleach."

Police noted "a strong smell of chlorine in the basement" and bleach stains on "several stairs" with black carpeting.

During a search of the suspect’s vehicle, detectives discovered bags of what appeared to be drugs packaged "for individual sale" and roughly $200 in cash.

Citing cellphone records, prosecutors said "at no point" after Sept. 21 did Gledhill "ever attempt to contact" Johnson.

When investigators asked the suspect’s father if he had recently entered the master bedroom, he reportedly responded, "I did not go in where the incident happened."

According to police records, Gledhill previously made "unsuccessful attempts to secure a protective order against Matthew during the course of their marriage and was found by the court to be an instigator and one to goad Matthew into a response in order to get him in trouble," prosecutors argued.

On Oct. 2, Gledhill was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, five counts of obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, abuse of a human body, and tampering with a witness.

During her first court appearance Monday, 3rd District Judge Todd Olsen ordered her to not have contact with any of her three young children — ages 11, 7, and 5 — either in person or electronically.

KSL-TV reported Gledhill "wiped tears from her face" as the judge issued the order.

Gledhill's attorney, Jeremy Deus, argued, "I think this is a heavy-handed tactic by the state to try to put undue pressure on her."

Deus added, "I can't imagine what it's like to say that she can't see the children and, in effect, tell the children that they can't see mom, either. They're not named victims in the case. I don't see a basis for having a protective order that prevents them from having contact with their mother in any form or fashion."

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Pastor granted bond after 2 years in jail for allegedly shooting his wife's lover dead outside busy restaurant



A Baptist pastor in Missouri’s Ozarks has been granted bond after spending two years in jail for allegedly shooting his wife's lover outside of a busy restaurant in broad daylight.

Matthew Dedmon — a 49-year-old pastor from Springfield — drove his truck to the Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District and spotted his wife, according to KYTV-TV. He reportedly noticed that she was with 57-year-old Joe Newburn, whom Dedmon believed was having an affair with his wife.

However, Judge Johnson on Oct. 1 reversed her own decision and went from no bond to $30,000.

“The evidence is that defendant possessed a loaded gun on the square in Ozark outside a busy restaurant, and that gun was discharged three to four times, resulting in the victim’s death. This put everyone on the square in grave danger. There was evidence that this conduct was out of character for defendant, which causes concern about defendant’s decision-making and judgment,” Judge Laura Johnson wrote in September 2022.

The Ozark Police Department said in a statement: "The victim was pronounced deceased upon arrival at Cox South Hospital in Springfield."

Dedmon was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

“The seriousness of the charge increases the risk that defendant will not appear," Judge Johnson ruled. "For these reasons, the court will detain defendant without bond.”

However, Judge Johnson on Oct. 1 reversed her own decision and went from no bond to $30,000. Dedmon — a pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Rogersville — was released on the condition that he wear a GPS monitoring device and remain on house arrest.

“Defendant may leave his home only for court appearances and emergency medical attention,” Johnson declared.

A defense filing from before the latest ruling reveals that Dedmon's attorneys argued that their client should be granted bond.

As of Wednesday, Christian County Jail records did not indicate Dedmon had been released.

Dedmon’s murder trial is scheduled to begin March 3.

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Woman learns her fate after trying to hire 'Online Killers Market' hitmen on dark web to kill wife of man she met on Match.com



A Tennessee woman who tried to hire hitmen to kill the wife of a man she met on a dating website — and who reportedly was jilted by news of his engagement — learned her fate Wednesday.

Melody Sasser, 48, was arrested in June 2023 over allegations of a murder-for-hire plot. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Sasser pleaded guilty to using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.

'I hope you both fall off a cliff and die.'

U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan sentenced Sasser to eight years and four months in federal prison. Following her time behind bars, she will be on supervised release for three years.

Sasser, of Knoxville, also was ordered to pay $5,389 in restitution to the victim.

What's the background?

In 2020, Sasser met David Wallace on Match.com, according to People magazine.

Sasser and Wallace both were from Knoxville and were “hiking friends,” according to the criminal complaint. Wallace said Sasser had helped him on a hike along the Appalachian Trail.

However, in the fall of 2022, Wallace allegedly informed Sasser that he had gotten engaged and was moving with his fiancée to Prattville, Alabama — roughly 330 miles from Knoxville.

Sasser reportedly responded by saying, “I hope you both fall off a cliff and die.”

Not long after, Wallace's wife allegedly told police that her vehicle had been keyed and that she had started receiving threatening phone calls. Sasser used an app to disguise her voice, according to the complaint.

Wallace's wife — identified only by the initials JW — said she suffered trauma from the ordeal. Court docs said she moved out of her home and into a hotel because of the threats, bought a gun, and had her husband search every room of their home to ensure there were no intruders.

In January 2023, Sasser used a dark web-hosted site known as the "Online Killers Market" to hire hitmen to murder Wallace’s wife, according to court documents.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Tennessee said in a press release, "In exchange for the anticipated murder of the victim, Sasser used the internet to transmit nearly $10,000 in cryptocurrency to the would-be assassins."

Sasser also requested that the murder appear “to seem random or accident[al]" or to "plant drugs" on the victim, according to the release. Sasser reportedly stressed that she did "not want a long investigation."

Sasser became impatient two months after she paid for the assassination attempt.

“I have waited for 2 months and 11 days and the job is not completed. 2 weeks ago you said it was been worked on and would be done in a week. The job is still not done. Does it need to be assigned to someone else? Will it be done? What is the delay? When will it be done?” Sasser reportedly wrote in a message to the administrator of the online assassin website.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office release stated, “In her communications with the site, Sasser provided photographs and location information of the victim.”

The New York Post reported that Sasser tracked the couple’s locations using an exercise app called Strava that allows users to upload the mileage and routes of their past runs.

Ultimately, the murder-for-hire scheme was unsuccessful.

Sasser was arrested following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Knoxville and Homeland Security Investigations Birmingham with the assistance of the Knoxville Police Department and the Prattville Police Department in Alabama.

During a search of her home, law enforcement uncovered a journal listing several other hitman websites, a handwritten account of communications with the Online Killers Market, and a stack of U.S. currency with a note attached highlighting a Bitcoin address.

Federal prosecutor Anne-Marie Svolto told the judge during the sentencing hearing that the journal “was a hidden rage that she kept secret for months," WBIR-TV reported.

Sasser's attorney, Jeff Whitt, told the judge that his client suffered a "breakdown of massive proportion," and she was deeply remorseful for her actions.

"She wants [the victim] to be able to move on with her life," Whitt said.

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Husband, Brazilian au pair have affair then kill his wife and male lured to home through fetish dating site: Prosecutors



A Virginia man has been indicted in the stabbing death of his wife and the fatal shooting of a man that occurred last year. The husband also was alleged to be involved in a love triangle with the couple's Brazilian au pair — who previously was charged with the murder of a male who was in the couple's home.

Fairfax County Police Department Chief Kevin Davis and Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano announced the arrest and indictment of Brendan Banfield in connection with the 2023 double murder that occurred in Reston — which is roughly 20 miles west of Washington, D.C.

Investigators believe the husband and nanny were lovers involved in a 'sexual relationship' and devised a sordid scheme to take out the wife.

Banfield, of Reston, was charged with four counts of aggravated murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Banfield was being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on no bond.

Davis said at a Monday press conference, “I stood in the middle of a cul-de-sac street in Fairfax County and described the deaths of two persons inside of a residential home. Now, 570 days later, we know the deaths of Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield were both, in fact, murders.”

Davis added, “This much is clear, we have evidence to now allege that Christine Banfield’s life was unlawfully taken, and Joseph Ryan’s life was unlawfully taken.”

Police who responded to the Banfield home on Feb. 24, 2023, described an "appalling scene." Brendan Banfield and the family's au pair – 23-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes — made the 911 call, police said.

Officers found Christine Banfield, 37, in an upstairs bedroom suffering from stab wounds to the upper body. They also discovered Joseph Ryan, 39, dead from gunshot wounds to the upper body.

Banfield's wife was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police said two firearms and a knife were recovered from the home.

Magalhaes reportedly told investigators that she and Brendan Banfield had walked in on Ryan stabbing a naked Christine Banfield with a knife. The au pair said Brendan shot at the “intruder.”

Investigators believe that the husband and nanny were lovers involved in a “sexual relationship” and devised a sordid scheme to take out the wife.

The husband and the live-in au pair are accused of shooting Ryan, who had been "summoned to the couple’s million-dollar Herndon home through a sexual fetish online site," the New York Post reported.

Prosecutors said Ryan was lured to the Banfield home by a profile on FetLife — which described itself as the "world's largest and most popular social network for the BDSM community, kink community, and fetish community."

According to the Washington Post, Ryan went to the home for a planned rendezvous with a woman identified in a dating app as “Annastasia9.” The outlet noted that there is no evidence to suggest that Christine created the profile or knew about it. Authorities have not revealed who created the profile.

Davis stated, "We know Brendan Banfield and Juliana Magalhaes, the family au pair, were involved in a romantic relationship at the time of the murders."

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Kelsey Gill has said that Magalhaes and Brendan began a romantic affair “several months” before the murders, based on photos of them that investigators found on the nanny’s cellphone.

Magalhaes and Banfield went to a shooting range weeks before the murders, prosecutors said. Banfield bought a Glock from the range on Jan. 28, 2023, according to WTOP.

Brendan and Magalhaes reportedly continued their relationship following the deaths of Ryan and Banfield's wife.

Magalhaes was arrested in October 2023 for Ryan's murder.

At the time of her arrest, the au pair allegedly had moved into the main bedroom of the Banfield home. Authorities said there was a framed picture of her and Brendan Banfield set on the nightstand, and her clothes were hung in the closet Christine Banfield once used.

Magalhaes was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. She was being detained at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on no bond.

“Early last year, a double murder devastated two families and shocked our entire community,” Commonwealth Attorney Descano declared during a press conference. “I will ensure that my office puts forward the strongest case possible at trial, and that we continue to seek justice for the victims and their families.”

The Banfields have a 4-year-old daughter.

Brendan Banfield is expected to be arraigned later this week.

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'Mistress' uses gun of 'sugar daddy' to shoot up car with Florida man's girlfriend and baby: Police



A "sugar daddy" found himself in a treacherous love triangle after his alleged mistress reportedly fired shots at a car with the Florida man's full-time girlfriend and their 1-year-old child inside.

Around 9:05 p.m. on Nov. 4, police responded to reports of a shooting in an apartment complex in Daytona Beach, Florida. A woman informed officers with the South Daytona Police Department that she had picked up dinner from a local Wendy's fast food restaurant and noticed a silver Acura near her house that she said she had seen multiple times over recent days, according to WKMG-TV.

The woman allegedly parked her car near the silver car. After a few minutes, her boyfriend – along with a different young woman – exited an apartment unit, according to the arrest affidavit. The man is also the father of the woman's 1-year-old child.

The woman reportedly got out of her car to confront the couple, and the two women got into a verbal argument, according to witnesses. Then the woman heard someone shout, "She has a gun!" The woman fled back to her vehicle, according to police.

At that moment, the other woman who had walked out with the man – later identified as Zehra Percy – allegedly went to the trunk of the Acura to retrieve a gun, according to surveillance footage reviewed by investigators. Police say Percy fired at least two rounds at the woman's car – where her baby was seated inside.

The woman and her baby were not injured in the shooting, deputies said.

The shooter fled the crime scene with an unnamed person, according to the affidavit.

Percy was pulled over during a traffic stop on Nov. 10.

WTVT reported, "Deputies asked Percy for consent to search her car to find the gun, but she said she returned it to her 'sugar daddy.'"

Investigators determined that Percy was the "mistress" of the victim’s boyfriend.

Percy, 20, was taken into custody. She was allegedly identified by witnesses in a police lineup.

She was booked into the Volusia County Jail on a felony charge of shooting into a vehicle. Percy was released later the same day after posting a $5,000 bond. Percy is scheduled to return to court for her arraignment on Dec. 5.

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Deadly love triangle: Michigan woman accused of murdering 'best friend,' they had been brawling for days over the same man



A Michigan woman has been accused of murdering another woman involved in a deadly love triangle.

Around 4 a.m. on June 6, deputies with the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office responded to an assault call in the Village of Capac – approximately 50 miles north of Detroit. A male caller told the police dispatcher that an assault had happened earlier in the night, but a woman had been unconscious, according to officials.

Police said Raquelle Casillas, 44, had been fighting with another 44-year-old woman from Almont – who has yet to be identified. At the home, police found the male caller, a female suspect, and the unconscious woman.

Police found the unidentified woman lying on the floor, unconscious, but she was breathing. The woman was rushed to the McLaren Lapeer Hospital with severe head trauma. She was pronounced dead around 11:30 a.m. two days later.

The two women – who were reportedly involved in a romantic relationship with the same man – had been brawling against each other on and off for days, according to police.

Officers with the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office arrested Casillas.

Strangely, Casillas posted a photo of herself with the other woman on Facebook with the caption: "Best friends." Both women are seen smiling and have black eyes, cuts, and bruises. When asked about the injuries by a commenter on Facebook, Casillas responded, "We were fighting." She added, "I took her boyfriend."

The father of Casillas told the Daily Mail, "They'd been binge drinking for a while and I think that probably had something to do with it. It was definitely the alcohol. When she's not drinking she's a different person but she started drinking the past few years - well before the relationship started. They probably got along because they were all alcoholics."

Casillas, of Mussey Township, was charged with open murder.

Casillas was denied bail and is being held at the St. Clair County Detention and Intervention Center. Casillas is scheduled to return to court on June 20.

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Love triangle gone bad: Miami cop and pregnant woman allegedly beat up Florida man for cheating



A Miami police officer and a pregnant woman were arrested after allegedly beating up their boyfriend in an apparent love triangle turned violent. The dustup reportedly was ignited when the women discovered that the man had been unfaithful to them.

Miami-Dade Police Officer Anna Elicia Perez, 34, and Mila Zuloaga, 35, were both arrested on May 26 and booked into jail. The off-duty cop and pregnant woman are accused of battering a Florida man for allegedly cheating on them both.

Around midnight last Friday, the jilted women reportedly confronted the man at Miller's Ale House in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Perez and Zuloaga allegedly engaged in a verbal dispute with the unidentified man "regarding infidelity," which quickly escalated into a physical altercation.

According to WTVJ, "Both women hit the man in his face and upper body with their hands multiple times, leaving him with redness on his face and a bruised lower lip, the reports said."

Zuloaga was transported to the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Special Victims Bureau, while Perez was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Perez confessed to police that she had "pushed and hit the victim multiple times," according to CBS News.

It was unclear whether the women conspired to confront the man or it was a coincidental encounter.

Zuloaga is purportedly seven months pregnant with the man's child and lives with him. The victim is reportedly also in a romantic relationship with Perez.

Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez said an investigation into the incident would be conducted.

Ramirez said in a statement, "I am disappointed by this officer’s actions. We are held to a higher standard of conduct on and off duty. Although this officer was off duty, her behavior was unacceptable and it goes against the core values of our department. We will work closely with the State Attorney’s Office and ensure a thorough and transparent investigation."

Perez has been placed on leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation by the State Attorney’s Office.

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