FBI Agent Coffindaffer: Transferred Investigators, Missing Weapons & Witnesses Who Flip | Banfield + Reiner
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3.3 • 911 Ratings
🗓️ 14 January 2026
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Two cases. Two very different defenses. One retired FBI Special Agent breaking down what the evidence actually shows. Jennifer Coffindaffer joins Hidden Killers to analyze the Brendan Banfield trial and the latest bombshells in the Nick Reiner case.
In Virginia, the prosecution's own forensics expert concluded their catfishing theory was wrong. Officer Brendan Miller found Christine Banfield controlled the FetLife account, not her husband. The University of Alabama confirmed his work. Then he was told he'd never work another digital forensics case in the bureau. He was transferred. The lead detective was reassigned. Now the state's case depends entirely on an au pair who flipped after a year in jail — a woman who wrote from her cell that she was "heartbroken" for what she was doing to Brendan and that she still loved him. Her sentencing is scheduled after the trial to ensure she keeps cooperating.
In Los Angeles, sources say Nick Reiner admits to killing his parents but claims he's the victim of a conspiracy. His schizoaffective medication was changed a month before the murders. The weapon hasn't been found. LAPD sealed the autopsy reports on Christmas Eve. Nick checked into a hotel after the alleged killings. His family spent a fortune on treatment facilities he'd leave after 30 days.
Coffindaffer has evaluated cooperating witnesses and insanity claims throughout her FBI career. She explains what investigators look for, what the behavioral evidence reveals, and why both cases have serious problems that won't be resolved anytime soon.
#BrendanBanfield #NickReiner #HiddenKillers #JenniferCoffindaffer #FBI #AuPairMurder #RobReiner #StarWitness #InsanityDefense #TrueCrime
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is Hidden Killers Live with Tony Brewski, Stacey Cole, and Todd Michaels. |
| 0:10.1 | Well, if you were watching anything over the weekend about the Reiner case, you may have seen TMZ. |
| 0:15.6 | Has just dropped a documentary that puts into words what a lot have been thinking, but couldn't quite articulate |
| 0:23.2 | sources with direct knowledge now say Nick Reiner admits to killing his parents, but reportedly |
| 0:29.9 | doesn't understand why he's in jail. He allegedly believes his incarceration as part of a |
| 0:36.2 | conspiracy against him. |
| 0:39.2 | Meanwhile, the murder weapon still hasn't been found. |
| 0:41.2 | The autopsy reports have been sealed by the LAPD, |
| 0:43.9 | and legal experts are predicting this case won't see a courtroom for at least two years. |
| 0:49.1 | To help us understand what investigators are dealing with right now. |
| 0:52.3 | And what the behavioral evidence actually tells us, |
| 0:55.1 | Jennifer Coffin-Daffer, retired FBI special agent, is with us. Jen, welcome. Happy new week here. |
| 1:02.6 | Let's start with the admission itself. Sources say, Nick knows he killed his parents, but believes |
| 1:07.6 | the people who put him behind bars are engaged in a conspiracy against him. |
| 1:13.4 | I'm curious as to what your take is on this. |
| 1:17.5 | Is this someone, you know, with obviously mental illness is real, but he also has a track |
| 1:23.4 | record of manipulating anyone and everyone around him to get them to look at him in a certain light. |
| 1:32.5 | What do you think we're dealing with right now now that he's behind bars? |
| 1:36.1 | You know exactly, Tony. |
| 1:37.5 | First of all, anyone who is an addict of this degree lives their life in a complete lie. |
| 1:43.3 | So every time they open their mouth, it's very difficult to know what is truth and what is false. |
| 1:49.4 | And typically it's a lot of false. |
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