Overview

• Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was arrested on June 6, 2025, and faces capital murder charges in Tarrant County and evidence-tampering charges in Parker County for allegedly drugging his pregnant girlfriend.
• Prosecutors say the victim, who was six weeks pregnant, had a healthy sonogram on October 17, 2024, before miscarrying two days later after consuming a coffee laced with abortion-inducing pills.
• Authorities allege that Banta remotely accessed and factory-reset his confiscated cellphone, erasing crucial data and prompting forensic specialists to report irregularities in the device’s activity.
• The investigation has involved the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, FBI, U.S. Secret Service and other federal and regional law enforcement partners.
• His attorney, Michael Heiskell, insists Banta is innocent and attributes the charges to a relationship that 'went awry.'