Banfield Trial Day 7: Detective Told to "Get Behind the Right Theory" — Then the Hotel Lobby Testimony Changed Everything

The defense came out swinging on Day 7 of the Brendan Banfield murder trial. Homicide Detective Leah Smith testified she was pressured by supervisors to support the catfishing theory before evidence backed it up. She says she was told: "There are two theories and you need to get behind the right one." A forensic analyst was transferred off the case after suggesting Christine Banfield — not Brendan — may have been the one communicating with victim Joseph Ryan on FetLife.

But then came testimony that stopped the room cold.

Victim services officer Saly Fayez testified that an intel dete...