Cops Find Missing Teen's Body In Soldier's Bedroom | Forensic Files

Hey, how you doing? >> good, boss, and yourself? This is US Marine veteran Eric Banks.
Moments after this body cam footage, officers would find his horrifying secret stuffed inside his bedroom wall.
And I did my own What's up? 95 95 We went in there and saw the boy laying there. I'm just
trying to drug him out where he is now. We did what we could. All right. Are you
good? All right. I was supposed to call you now. Eric, who is also an active officer for
Baltimore PD, thinks he can use his experience to cover up his vile murder. What follows is amongst the most
disturbing collections of criminal case files ever uploaded to YouTube. Stop. I'm buckling. What are
>> You are risking my life right now. I don't care. Stop. What are you doing? Who is this person?
Dad. And then he also told me that Daddy made him interested in going in the bathroom
and cover their eyes. Strangled? I don't know. On July 7th in Millersville, Maryland,
two officers arrive at the home of Eric Banks Jr. After his wife reported that their 15-year-old son, Dayson, was
potentially missing. The report was relatively standard for them, but the reality awaiting them is more horrifying
than they could have imagined. Son not moving. He's laying in the hallway. >> [music]
>> Officers report hearing loud bangs from the upstairs of the home. However, nobody comes to answer the door. After
multiple minutes of waiting, an out-of-breath Eric finally greets the officers. Hey, how you doing?
>> I'm doing good, boss, and yourself? I'm doing good. Uh I had a court warning. I'm out with him.
What's going on today, man? He's supposed to be serving a peace of order. Supposed to be serving it on you or on
Both of us. Okay. The judge just ordered us to stay away from [music] each other.
Okay. Sit down, buddy. Sit down. >> Do you all have some sort of like court order agreement on custody or something?
My oldest, I know he ran out the back door. Somewhere. All his stuff out the back
door. He ran out? >> What's going on, boss? I know you get >> DJ. I know you get tired of seeing us.
Where's DJ? She called him and he went out the back door. >> here. No. You want to come in?
Just let us know if you're being audited. Oh, hey, I know. I see y'all got the body cam. Yeah. She said he was
like Does he have a phone? Huh? I took my I took my phones back. Okay. Yeah. So, all the phones are on my plan. I'm
separating everything. And you have no idea where you just let a 15-year-old walk out of your house with all his bags
packed. No. His bags out the back door. I would I literally told him wait for your mom to get here. She's supposed the
police supposed to come here to serve her a piece of protective order. The judge told her to call you guys before
she comes to I'm not trying to get in trouble. I understand. Eric and his wife, Latrice, had both individually
filed a protective order against each other, making it illegal to speak to one another without a police escort.
However, since Eric is not the biological father of Dayson, Latrice had custodial rights to him, which is why he
was packing his belongings as he and Latrice were preparing to leave the residence. Dayson's disappearance on the
very day he and his mom were supposed to move out makes the situation even more unusual. So, officers continue speaking
with Eric hoping to understand the family dynamic and gather any clues that might point to where Dayson is. But,
what Eric says next only raises their suspicions even further. So, she's supposed to called you to come meet You
all have no idea where DJ is. Honestly, bro, no. I I I like With no phone or anything. You can check the ADT. It
shows where he ran out the door. >> you, but I mean I'm not like I'm not going to fight. I'm
not going to do anything. >> listen, it's a 15-year-old boy having a phone probably would have been if he's
walking out of the house probably would have been a good idea to leave him where
they are. Then you can work out those kinks later. Cuz see this is the thing, this is getting messy, man.
>> Yeah, I tried to tell him. I said I I said sit here, wait for your mom to get
here. I went upstairs. Before I can come downstairs, he's already going out the back door. So, she I guess she
coordinated cuz she's somewhere in the area, I'm presuming. Okay. So, she pretty much coordinated with him to come
out there. Okay. All right, hang tight. >> All right. >> All right. Sitting beside Eric are his
two sons, 5-year-old Evan Banks and 3-year-old Tristan Banks. Officers didn't know it at the time, but these
two would play a pivotal role in uncovering the horrifying scene that just happened inside their home. But for
now, Officer Sutton goes back to his patrol vehicle to run a registration. He identifies the suspect as 34-year-old
Eric Banks Jr., an officer for the Baltimore Police Department. He's been an active officer since 2018 and also
carries 10 years of service in the United States Marine Corps. After speaking with neighbors of Eric, who
provided minimal additional information, officers would confront Eric once again,
this time sternly, to figure out what was going on. It's here that Eric would explain his alibi, one he had come up
with just minutes ago. found out about the whole situation. His mom That's that's that's that's
neither here nor there. It's not >> is it This is what I'm trying to tell you. He was Me and him sat at the table, he
cried to me yesterday. He said he don't want to He don't want the separation. He
like he know we separated before. >> he talking about? He said he's tired of it. He's tired of feeling like he has to
choose sides. He's 50 He's a teeny. He knows where he He don't want to be He's like, "I don't want to be in separate
homes." like that. And we sat there talking I said, "DJ, it's it's nothing really we could do. I'm not going to
change the way I love you, care for you." We We had a whole deep heart-to-heart conversation. Today, we
went to court. The judge awarded him and I called him. I said, "DJ, I guess >> [music]
>> your mom told you the judge you wanted to go with her and you're going to go there." He's like, "What? I don't" I was
like, "Well, start packing your bags cuz you're going with her. You're going with
your mom. It's unfortunately I guess you're not coming back here." And that's that was just that. She called him. They
had a conversation. I said, "What did your mom say?" She on her way to come pick you up. He said, "Yeah, but she's
supposed to come here." I said, "Well, we're going to wait cuz before she come here there's some type of altercation,
there needs to be police here. They can escort her, grab whatever she needs to grab, and we go about this peacefully."
[music] Next thing you know, I went upstairs. I come down. So, do you think he he leave here
because he didn't want to go with his mom, either? Uh That could be He could be like hiding
out at a friend's house? I mean, yes, or no? >> Yeah, that's that's that's what I'm
saying. Yeah, in my opinion, I think that's That's probably is the best because if he told her he's somewhere
he's not, he's not here. >> messages from her. I have food for you, okay. So, it sound
like he wanted to go be with his mom. >> Yeah. So, that's what I'm saying. All right.
All right, just put the bags inside for now and we'll we'll try to figure this thing out.
>> All right, brother. Yeah. Officers would spend another 15 minutes canvassing the area in hopes of finding
Dayson, but would again come up clueless. So, they decide to try calling Dayson's mother, Latrice, but are unable
to get a hold of her either. So, in a desperate attempt relevant lead, they decide to ask Eric if he'd voluntarily
consent to a search inside the home hoping Dayson may be hiding inside. No one expected that this simple request
would soon alter both their and Eric's lives forever. I just want to make sure he's not in the house.
>> That's fine. I'll do it with you then since we're here. Hey Buck, I just want
to make sure he's not hiding. All right. All right. The two of them The one with the bunk
bed over there? Yeah. This is the kids' room. DJ! This is my room, right? In Officer Adams' report of the
incident, he notes that at this point in their home search, Eric's demeanor had changed. He advised Eric to relax and
let them freely search the home. They proceed to make their way to the third floor of the home, the floor which
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All right, Dustin. I'll see you inside. Is this always down? No, this is where my This is where my cousin You think I'm
going to touch that? Come on, man. >> [clears throat] >> So, this is where my cousin Okay.
You got your little light on your phone? >> Yes, I do. You got a light? Back back
up. Okay. Can I dim on you? You need to back it up. What's up? All right, bye. I'm going
to go. All right. What's up, bro? All right, bye. Inside the hole in Eric's bedroom lies
Dason's deceased body, already cold to the touch, Eric forgot to fully close the hole [music] before meeting with the
officers. The gruesome discovery would leave the two officers in shock. They try to keep their composure while
transporting Eric to a patrol vehicle. What's up? They came right now. All right, where we
starting at again? I have one sock now. All right. DJ DJ He's got one sock on right now. DJ
What's up? What happened? Let's go to the car, all right? Yeah, let's go to the car.
You want to in the front of the car. All right, yes. Oh, in the front of the car.
No, 20. Here, let me move one thing out of your way. All right, great. All right, just let's see if I can move
it. All right. While Eric is being detained, Officer Vaz attempts life-saving measures on
Dayson, noting that his condition appeared consistent with an unresponsive individual. He also notes that Dayson
was shirtless and that his jeans were heavily soaked with moisture from an unknown source. Outside the home, Eric
is temporarily placed in the patrol vehicle, but within moments, the situation begins to spiral out of the
officers' control. As well. Stay seated. Yeah, one sock here. All right, yeah. I need you to
stay seated, okay? >> Okay, I'm going to mark the uh All right, go ahead. I don't want to go to
Can I can I just kiss my boys real quick? No, no, no, no, no, no, stay seated now. I need you to stay in the
car, all right? Just let me kiss my boys. Look, listen. Yeah, I got you, bro. Just let me kiss my boys.
>> Stay in the car. Look, just let me kiss Stay in the car. Just I'm just saying
like can some kid Just let me kiss my boys real quick, bro. All right, I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell
him. All right, go ahead. I'm going to tell him. Shut up. Bastard. I'm going to tell him. I'm going to tell him.
I think you just Here, I'm going to sit here. I'm going to listen. Just let me All right, stand
up, turn around. Don't Don't do anything. Stay in the car. Stay in the car. Stay up against the
All right, good. Okay. All right, now get back in. Hey! Bro, I'm not doing it. Stop
running. What are you doing? I just want to kiss my boy, bro. My boy. Just let me kiss my boy. Get back in the
car. All right, come on. Come on. Come on. Hey Eric, stop. The car >> [music] >> is
parked at the corner of Hilltop. Stay in there. You're not coming out no matter what.
>> All right, bro. Without additional units on scene, Officer Sutton struggles to keep Eric
restrained. Sutton attempts to secure Eric's handcuffs using a double lock, a mechanism that prevents cuffs from
tightening or being manipulated. However, Eric uses his police experience to exploit this, and while his previous
attempts at evasion have failed, he'd make one more, final, far more violent attempt to get away.
Hey, boy. Try to grab a gun. Hey, boy. TRY TO GRAB A GUN. STOP! Get in the car, [ __ ]
Get in the car. I'm in here. Turn him out. Turn him out. Turn him out. Turn him out.
Want to try him out? I'll try him. 38 10-28 352 on that one. Stop. Stop. Stop. Can't stop. Yes, you can.
>> My wrist. And my hand's going numb. Put your hands behind your Yeah. I can't. My
hand's going numb. All right, turn them over. Stop. Hey, hold on. >> you broke it. It's numb. All right.
Stay where you are. Stay here. I am staying here, but I told you it's broke. All right, I'm moving
your legs. All right. Take a deep breath. I am. You might listen. If we're going around like this, it's going to
make it worse. I know. All right. Well, I want you We're done. Just get up. We're not done here. I want you to We're
not done. All right, see. We're going to take you to the hospital. All right. All
right. Uh-huh. Well, this is not wrestling anymore. This is kind of [ __ ] that I like.
You're sweating and I'm sweating. Can we be done? I want to be All right. Well, let's go to the
hospital. I don't need to wrestle on the ground. Is that helping anything? No, it's not.
All right. All right. Okay. Okay. Eric attempts to unholster Officer Sutton's service weapon, eventually
managing to loosen it and nearly knocking [music] it to the ground. Fortunately, Eric's handcuffs prevented
him from causing any further harm. As the chaotic scene finally settles, officers briefly discuss the frantic
[music] events that just unfolded. I go up to Subway to meet her. I wanted to make sure he didn't go to Subway in this
location. Come back here. I said, "Let me just check the house." He started getting real weird. I'm like,
"Will you just stay back?" He was going to go up and sit down. He started getting real weird. I'm like,
"No, I can check the house. You stay back. You stay back. Stay back. Stay back." I go up and wait off because he
wouldn't be up here. There's an attic thing. I'm going to screw in it. Looked in
there and saw the boy laying there. I was probably going to drag him out where he is now and deal with him.
I I knew where he used to live when I was little boy living there. I mean, 5 minutes.
15 and a half year. I mean, asked for more units to start to see if he was drug or not and start to see if he
Okay. All right. Are you good? >> I almost fell you out. You're good. You're not hurt.
No, I'm Should have done that If I had known If I had just did that first. Almost
I'm going to take the whole block off. Fix you. Hey. Hey. My app Steve, heck yeah. Come on. I was going I
was going to do do still CPR. Sorry, partner. You know that It's a What's the 10-7?
Uh 1448 [music] inside. Yeah, like Apparently, well, he went upstairs to check the house.
>> in the attic. I was already in the attic. So, apparently, yeah. What's up? There's like a kind of steep area and my
partner went by. My partner looked in there. He was a 95. I don't know if he was going to line up
with me and took him to my car. He unbuckled. I I [music] gave him an opportunity
because I needed to double lock his and then he he unbuckled himself went out of it.
Crap. EMS attempted [music] to perform CPR on Dayson, but it was too late. Dayson was
declared deceased shortly after by EMS. What officers uncovered with Dayson was only the beginning. As [music] the
investigation deepens, Eric's children would reveal further secrets painting an even darker picture of the reality
behind closed doors. For now, the decision is made to take Eric, his children, and his ex-wife
Latrice to the police station. Everyone would eventually make it to the station.
Each separated into their own individual rooms awaiting intense interrogation. Eric would be left alone to hopefully
calm down and collect his thoughts. Meanwhile, detectives speak with both Latrice and her child Evan hoping to
collect more information that can be used when speaking with their main suspect. They start with Latrice asking
her what kind of person Dayson was. At this point, detectives are considering the possibility that he and Eric may
have gotten into a fight that somehow escalated into tragedy. But what Latrice describes denies that theory completely
and makes Dayson's case even more heartbreaking. Can you sit a little bit closer over here with me?
>> Yeah. There's a lot of specific questions that I wanted to talk to you about. Can you
describe DJ? Was he an argumentative person? Was he a quiet person? So, Dayson was more of a quiet person. Mhm.
Um until he got to know you, but he was always mannered. [music] He talked to a lot of adults.
He but he's never was disrespectful or any of that. I had teachers from his elementary, the principal, middle
school, they all showed up for my son. He was that type of child. You know when teachers come.
Would you say he was a sweet boy? He was very sweet and always willing to help. That was one of the things across the
board. Always willing to help. In the loft? In the crawl [music] space in the loft?
What was normally kept in there? Nothing. Uh safes? Nothing. Was that ever left open?
>> No. It was always [music] screwed It was always closed. Okay. >> Cuz I don't like it. Like it it freaked
me out. There is a light switch in there? Okay. So I was like, where's that light coming from? And I turned [music]
the light switch off. But I don't know, maybe it was him. So let's talk about that. You called me and you said that
you saw him, you viewed him at the funeral home. Are you okay? Yeah. [music] Okay. And it was before he was
embalmed because I wanted to see him. Right. And you saw new bruises? >> Yes. Where did you see new bruises? On
his nose. Like that circular dark mark on his upper nose. His lip lip busted also. Mhm. Like that
wasn't there. And then his eyes were like purple. I don't like They were puffy and purple.
>> Yeah. It it looked to me like he was in a fight. And my son doesn't fight. Dayson's autopsy report ruled his cause
of death as asphyxiation, which in combination with the bruises and marks on his face implied he was likely
strangled [music] to death. I knew it. And he was my baby. So I knew it. >> [music]
>> I I still have those feelings that No, I'm not happy with cuz to me it [music] doesn't say I
did it, but it says there's enough evidence to say I did it. So, you know, let's just say you did it then. Latrice
[music] makes it clear she believes Eric is responsible, even though she didn't witness the incident [music] herself.
But her son Evan, seated just three doors down in his own interview room, has information that could take the
investigation even further. How are you? Good. Good. You said your name is Evan, is that correct? And do
you know how to spell your name? You can go ahead and write it down. Evan, okay. Nice handwriting. And how
old are you? Seven. Seven? You want to write seven for me? Okay. So I I don't forget. Sometimes I forget. Notice the
harsh contrast between interview rooms. Evan is sitting in the department's safety room, a space created to provide
comfort and reduce stress for victims and young children involved in sensitive cases. His interviewer, Miwa, is a
forensic interviewer for Maryland, trained specifically to speak with children and family members connected to
a criminal investigation. And because Evan is only 7 years old, you'll notice a drastic difference in how his
interview is conducted. >> My job is to talk to kids and families all the time, and today I get to talk to
you. Mhm. And I, you know, we talk about a lot of different things in this room,
and this is called the safe room because um anything we talk about is always safe, and you're not in any trouble.
You're just I'm just here to listen to you and talk to you. Okay. Miwa explains to Evan that everything is being
recorded and that he is not in trouble, but rather just there to help him out. She spends 15 minutes talking about
movies and more of Evan's interests to help him get more comfortable before discussing the day of Dayson's murder.
And Evan, who do you live with? Mhm, my mom. Your mom? And Tristan. Mhm. Anyone else?
Mhm, I live with Tristan. Mhm. And then my dad. Okay. Okay. And do you know what you're here to talk
about today? Mhm. >> [clears throat] >> No? So, um tell me a little bit about your family.
Mhm, Tristan. Tristan he likes to fight and plays and steal toys from others. I like the color and then I also like kids
pop interesting. And you said you also live with the DJ, is that right? Mhm, and then mom and Tristan. So, DJ, how
old is DJ? Uh 15. 15? Um tell me about DJ. DJ like going in the water, giggling.
And he can't really remember all the stuff he needs to do. But he love playing Roblox games. Tell
me about the last time you saw DJ. Mhm. My mom wasn't at the house. Tell me who was at the house.
Dad and then DJ. Mhm. And then me. DJ was going in his room with mommy. And then daddy was waiting at the door
with DJ. [music] DJ put his bags in the basement and then I don't remember what happened next.
That's all I remember. Okay. Miwah would tell Evan to draw the last time he saw Dayson and he'd draw the staircase
leading to the home's loft. The same staircase Eric has dragged Dayson's body up. And so, who is this person?
That was DJ. That was DJ? Where was dad? Right here. Oh, okay. So, dad was up here and then DJ was right there?
Okay. Where did they go after? And they never went anywhere. They were just waiting up the steps. Oh, they were
waiting up the steps? Who was he waiting for or what was he waiting for? >> And he was waiting till mom came. Oh.
Like DJ. Did that happen? Mhm, not yet. Not yet? Was there anything that you worried
about on that day? Mhm, no. I wonder if there's anything that you were scared about that day.
Mhm, I wasn't scared. Evan struggles to reveal the details of the events he saw that day, likely due [music] to the
discomfort of speaking with a stranger in a police station, but the information he gave his mother on the day of the
incident provides far clearer insight into the disturbing events he saw. >> You said that one of your children said
something to you? Evan. Evan, and what did Evan say? That he saw Daddy bring DJ upstairs.
And I said, "Where were you?" And he said he was in the living room. I just didn't want to pry too much, but
then I said, "Oh, was DJ sleeping?" He said, "No, he wasn't snoring." And then I said, "Was he moving?"
And he was just like, "No." And then he also told me that Daddy made him and Tristan go in the bathroom
and cover their eyes. Okay. >> But this was before. This was when the police first knocked at the door. Okay.
Evan didn't say anything about the knock because he told them to go in the bathroom first. So, I'm a little
confused of like the order, so I don't know if that's maybe when he was going to let [clears throat] the police in,
but Evan did say he saw that. Um and he he was in the living room cuz he told me he was watching Loki. In
addition to these grim details, Latrice would go on to explain how Eric's life had begun to collapse all in synchrony.
Due to the protective peace order Latrice had filed, Eric was suspended from the Baltimore Police Department the
very same day of Jason's death. He had just separated from his wife, was about to lose his children, and was now left
without a job. Latrice also explained that the peace order she filed was not her first attempt [music] to separate
herself from Eric. Months prior, Latrice filed her first peace protective order writing, [music] "I am in fear for my
life and well-being because Eric Banks keeps trying to control, follow, and emotionally abuse myself and my sons."
The order was denied, however, and it wasn't until months later that her second attempt was granted. It was clear
Eric's life was falling apart leading up to Dayson's death. Eric had hidden his body, lied to officers regarding his
whereabouts, and had a violent outburst once the body was discovered. It'd be hard to assume that he wasn't directly
implicated in Dayson's death. But, evidence alone wouldn't be nearly enough to get him to confess. After all, he was
a police officer of 10 years and knew how the criminal justice system worked just as well as any interrogator working
against him. But, unfortunately for Eric, the interrogation he was about to undergo would crack even the most
well-trained of suspects. Eric is placed into an Anne Arundel County interview room 2B. This room was
designed for priority matters, exclusive to high-profile cases. Because Eric had
attempted to attack an officer earlier in the day, he's been handcuffed to the table to restrict movement. Eric is left
alone for multiple hours as the detectives prepare for his interrogation. While waiting, he can be
seen glancing around the room multiple times, likely searching for a camera. What Eric didn't know is interview room
2B has a small camera placed in an unusual location, which Eric never managed to
spot. The primary investigator assigned to this case is [music] Detective Lewis Adrian. His prior service in the United
States military likely factored into the department's strategic choice to have him conduct the interview. This shared
background enables Adrian to establish rapport with Eric, a key component in the upcoming interaction.
So, um you know why we're here. We want to talk about what happened. Mhm. Um why it
happened, and anything surrounding that whole situation. But, you know as well as all of us that we have to go through
Miranda with you. Um so, what I'm going to do is we're just going to go through Miranda first of all and then I'll start
getting all the other information, okay? After reading Eric his rights, the detectives would spend nearly an hour
[music] connecting with Eric and bonding over their shared military experience. He's like, "No, you come in. You're in
front." Okay, we go back in the We're about to go in the building like, "You're in front." She's like, "But I
thought you said you were like, uh-uh. There's some people who were made to do you know to do certain things." And then
I said, "I'm not made to be a front person." >> [laughter] >> Yeah, but so I'm running a block and and
I remember it. So, I was like, "Hey, whoever that officer is right there running, just keep going. Keep going cuz
you're about to run right to him." And out of nowhere these two guys just come out, pop out and I'm like, "Okay, I got
him." And he just fell over and he was like, he was like, he was like, "Yeah, whoever
that was running, he was moving and you just ran." And I was like, he was like, "Don't." Cuz I was slowing down like
trying to look. He was like, "No, keep going." And I'm running like, "Okay, you're going to tell me when?" This
friendly conversation appeared to take Eric out of the intense mental [music] state. It appeared that Eric sharing his
favorite moments from the military gave him a sense of importance, like he had an identity he was proud of or at least
used to be. But that moment is short-lived as he's quickly brought back to the reality of why he's sitting
inside a police interrogation room. So, you you spent 3 years and you at you're still active in the Baltimore City
Police Department. Yes, sir. Has So, from what I hear, you're suspended. >> No, I'm not suspended now. I'm going to
be suspended, yes. Okay. Why? Can you tell me what's what's going on with that? May 8th, I got a peace and protect
order against my wife. Okay. Um And you've got one against her? Yeah, I got one against her.
Uh same day, she took the firearms out the house. She took the safe out of our home. You know, Anne Arundel County did
press charges. Um was it a They pressed charges against you guys or Her for taking
the safe with the firearms. The firearms. Yes, sir. And were they your duty firearms?
>> Duty firearm. My whole full duty belt was in there. Okay. Um firearm, taser, magazine pouches, everything was in
there. She turned around and went and got a peace order on me Okay. saying that I was following her. But when she
got it, that's when pretty much after she got the peace order, her mom sent my mom something talking about I was
following her, this and that. I'm like, "How? I'm here at work. How are you saying that I was following?" I was
like, "There's no way." That's when we both ended up at the courthouse and I was and I was like, cuz I have like,
"I'm going to put a stop to this." So I let the clerk know and I'm like, "I don't know what's going on, but every
time that um my wife trying to leave or something or something's trying to happen
secretly, there's a peace order for me to get kicked out the house." And I was like, "That's your people." And that's
when they brought us both in. So we both got seen by the judge and he granted us
a peace order for both of us to stay away from each other. >> Okay. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?
That was just was it 2 days ago? Okay. >> Or was it No. Monday? No, no, yesterday.
It was just yesterday. Yesterday. >> Tuesday, yeah. So y'all met with the judge Tuesday. And you're still
suspended up until this point? >> Yeah, I'm still suspended. So when maybe I I maybe it's the way Baltimore works
and also the way our stuff is. So you have the peace order, she gets one on you and then it gets denied. denied. And
then I I have to do that for parole. Yeah, they said I >> you're still suspended even though it's
been cleared up. >> Yes. Got you. Okay. At this point, the detectives had no reason to assume Eric
was lying. He'd been open and honest with them the entire time and seemed rather friendly. It isn't until they
begin discussing the day of the incident that investigators realize Eric's perceived honesty had all been a
calculated act. So yesterday we go Yesterday we go to court, get the peace and protective orders. They grant the
whole motion, I mean, for us to stay away from each other. Two youngest boys both stay with me. The oldest, he's
going to Arizona with his mother. And she's like she tells the judge like that's what he want to do but something.
So right after that, you know, call him and say, "Hey, start packing your bags. You know, you're going to be going with
your mom." He's like, "Why? Why?" I'm like, "Your mom said you wanted this. This is what you're supposed to do you
know, I guess I I know. I didn't have that conversation." Previously to that, me and him had literally just sat down
at the table cuz I could tell that my son was like depressed and he was going through some like that's really what our
trip to on the first was like just to try to get him away, get him out. We sat down at the table and I'm like, "What's
going on with you? How do How are you feeling about this? Where are you at with this?" And he's like, "Um honestly
I don't know." He's like, "I hate it. I don't feel like I I don't want to feel like I'm choosing sides.
Um I just want to be left alone by everybody cuz then it's like they're calling me telling me this and this and
this and that and it's like I got to um keep certain things from you so like I don't
want to keep I don't want to be a part of this. Um he's like, "I'm tired." So I said, "You just go and start packing
your bags." And he's like, "Okay." We wait, I get my paperwork. I come home and on my way home it's like I just feel
like I was done. Like, you know what? Today's going to be the day I'm going to do it. Two two.
Okay. Yeah. Um I feel like my family was falling apart. I'm suspended from work.
Um possibly going to leave my job. So it was like Just building. Keep Keep Just keep going. So he goes like vendetta. I
even sent a text to say I don't know why we we feel like we have to be at war. Like we shouldn't have to be at war. I
was like, "If you I would [music] lying to these guys so like you got to get you
What are you like What are you trying to move in with them? You know, telling them that you're living in hotels when
you're not, you're staying with your mom. Like what are you doing?" So at this point he's like, "You know what?
I'm just tired." Yeah, and tired of it. It's It's It's a way out to get peace, I
guess. Yeah, a lot of people go through that, man. And it was just was like nothing. I felt like everything was just
coming to an end. And I feel like that now. Like honestly I'm everything's coming to an end. I was like, "You know
what? You're just going to do it." He is He is um So when you got home yesterday,
Mhm. um was there anyone in the house? Yes, it was um the son was in the house. Okay. Everyone was in the house and
Tristan was in the house. >> So you go in there and you're doing all this stuff, right? I go in there and I
go Yeah, I go in there um I see him upstairs like he got his bags packed. I had to go and take your stuff downstairs
when your mom's come. And she called him. He's like, "Mom's calling." He was like, "What do I say to her?" I say,
"You know, tell her what do you know, just talk to her like you know what she told you whatever." And he answers the
phone and they have a conversation. I was like, "Okay, what she say?" She said she said she said she's going to be in
the area just bring my stuff downstairs. I said, "Okay, cool." I said, "So the police should be coming and when they
come everything will go smoothly." This is the moment where Eric's act begins. Notice how he begins looking blankly
into the ceiling as he recounts critical moments. For the last hour, Eric hardly
looked up to the ceiling once. >> I go downstairs and I'm in the kitchen. I just made a [music] big bowl of uh
Who was it? Gatorade. Not a big bowl but a big pitcher of Gatorade. It's blue. It's
probably still I believe it's still on the counter. >> Mhm. But I like I said, you said you
never went to the hospital. Um the bag of crushed up pills that I had was right there.
The son came downstairs. He He asked me something. He was like um What is it he say? [music]
He came downstairs before he came downstairs he asked me something. And I can't remember what he said exactly but
he was like asked me uh what was it? About uh I think it was believe it was something
like that. I said, "The son just wait just we're not going to like cuz he was like I don't want to go he was just
telling me that he didn't want to go and [ __ ] like that. I said, "Look, just wait. We're not going to talk about [ __ ]
cuz I like I'll take your brothers to your mom's house and I'll be coming back." I said, "If your mom gets here
with the police you probably get back and force you got to go with her. That's just the way it is." He's upstairs. I'm
on the mattress. I told Tristan I said, "Tristan, go get your shoes." Tristan said, "Okay." So Tristan goes he goes
upstairs he gets his shoes. >> [music] >> He comes he's like, "Daddy, what's wrong
with DJ?" I'm like, "Huh?" So then I go upstairs and DJ's in the He's in the bath He's in the bathroom.
He's in the tub. That's when I seen him. I was like, "What the fuck?" I That's when I pulled him out the tub
and as I'm pulling him out the tub I laid him flat on his back on the floor. Mhm.
And then What is it uh uh at that time, then I was not sure, I think it was El Atrisco. He was like, "There's somebody
at the door." And I'm just looking at my feet and I'm like, "What the [ __ ] is this?"
I'm like, "What the [ __ ] is this?" Eric makes [music] his story clear. He had planned to end his life, but
coincidentally, Jason had the same plan and did it first. That's an extremely complex alibi and only becomes more
unlikely after Eric explains why Jason's body ended up hidden inside his bedroom.
So, I go downstairs, go to the front door. The officer said, Okay. And I panicked. I was like, "I don't
know what the [ __ ] to say." So, he asked me, he was like, "Hey, um what's going
on?" I start talking to him, telling him what's going on. He was it What did he say?
He said, "So, what's the situation?" And I tell him on the situation. I was like, "Uh you know, my wife, she's
we were waiting on y'all to come, you know, y'all were supposed to be serving her with a piece of protective order."
And when I He's like, "She was Yeah, she was supposed She was supposed to be like, "Yeah, she was supposed to be
picking up outside." And he was like, "Uh is she here?" And at the time, he was still [music] He was upstairs on the
floor. Okay. In the bathroom. When he said, "Was she here?" My mind I was like, "No."
Okay. >> Yeah. You panicked. [music] Yeah. Um cuz it already looked bad. I already moved
him. And I was like, "What are you going to do about it?" Yeah. >> Um was it And when [music]
was it uh when I got out of the bathtub, I asked the officer and some other officer came
and joined and you could see I asked him like, "Can I go in the house, you know,
use the bathroom real quick?" I remember I was asking that and he was like, he was like, "No, no, just wait. Just wait.
Just wait. Okay." Then the other officer showed up. And then when he showed up, he's asking, he's like, "So, um is the
son here?" Still the same thing. I told him, "No." I I should have said, "Yes." You know, sh
Yeah, I mean, in a perfect world, I knew my state of mind. My state of mind was to kill Eric. Okay.
And now let me ask you this, is that why um cuz I did watch some of the footage when they went to loosen your handcuffs,
you kind of got a little silly on them. Do you remember that? Yeah. What was your I mean, you went for the officer's
gun. What was up with that? Well, when I first before we get to that, when I first went back in the house, when the
officer told me I had to tall officer, he told me um he said uh go get the son's phone.
>> Mhm. I ran upstairs. His phone was in the in the bathroom on the counter. Okay. So I run upstairs
and I get the phone. Cuz he wait wait let me back up before I did that. I asked him, I said, "Can I go upstairs?
Can I use the Can I go and use the bathroom?" So that means he wanted to shut the door. He said he said, "No, no,
just wait." And then the other officer he was like, "Well, go um I need you to go grab the son's phone." I ran up grab
it. And I'm still and I shut the bathroom door. And I'm still nervous. >> Which bathroom was it? Was it the one in
the master or the small? >> No, the small one. The small one in the hallway. And I'm still shaking up.
Um and then when uh come back downstairs, I go I was I go out the door. I give him the phone.
And I'm still shaking my hand like and everything's in my head saying like, all right, just
just say what you saw. But then then my other part of me is like, my son just did this. Right.
Objectively, Eric's story hits all the points. He has an excuse for almost every suspicious detail, even finding a
way to explain why blood was found all over his house. The issue is that these details are simply too coincidental to
ever And even Eric knows this. I don't know why I just was like, I got to move him.
I did the picked him up, did the fireman carry. Took him out of the bathroom into the master bedroom up the stairs.
And I was like, [music] cuz I know they're going to want to come back in the house and search it.
I was like, "I'm going to be cool. I'm fine with that." I'm I was going to let them search it. And I talked him in
>> [music] >> shoo. I talked him in the the area. And then and I left the thing over it. So when you
sitting there and you talking like the little >> pros crawl space. All right. Yeah. All
right. [music] But getting back to that when he came in, they searched the house. They went upstairs.
And he seen the thing open up from the officer. When he asked, I panicked and I was like,
>> [music] >> "Yeah, this is where I keep my safe." Well, whatever. But just something was
in there. >> Just something was in there. And >> [music] >> they put the handcuffs on me.
I went back downstairs. When they brought me downstairs, I was like, "My life is over." Because it looks
different. It's [music] no matter what I say from this point, it looks like I'm lying. I was like, "I lied because I
already lied twice." You asked me to sign anything else. I said, "No." You asked me did I know where he went. I
said, "No, I think he he probably went back there or something." And you know, so it always looked bad because I'm
already done told you a lie. Even though in my head it's like, "You probably should have just said the
truth. You probably only should have just left him where he was at." >> [music] >> Call the Call Call police or done fire
fire or whatever. Yeah, call the police or But the times we But I was already in I
was I mean I I wasn't even I was already in the master bedroom. Eric's going to die
today. Okay. The detectives decide to take a break and discuss what their next plans
would be. At this point, they both know Eric is lying to their faces. So, the goal for the rest of the interrogation
will be to get Eric to admit to his lies and ultimately confess to the murder. To
do this, they decide on Detective Adrian conducting the rest of the interrogation
alone since one-on-one confrontation is generally considered to be more effective. Adrian would return with a
clearly [music] different demeanor from earlier. He's stern and wastes no time in asserting that his [music] nice cop
act is over. Are you good? You need anything before we get started again? >> No, I'm good. Are you sure?
All right. So, Detective uh Detective Pizarro had to step aside just for a second.
Um but what I wanted to do, like I told you, I wanted to come back and go back over some things with you. I actually
wanted wanted to go back and in detail just go through [music] some of these steps. Um Eric would
recount his story exactly the same as before, claiming he simply found Jason dead and had nothing to do with it. And
it seemed as though Detective Adrian had nothing concrete to combat Eric's lies.
That was until he brought out Jason's autopsy report. [music] >> I'm going to tell you this. I know that
you spent 10 years in the military. >> Mhm. And [clears throat] you you were in the Marines, weren't
you? >> Yes. What's their whole thing in the Marines? Like [music] What what do they always teach?
Honor, integrity. Honor, courage, commitment. >> Yeah. And to be honest with you, I don't see
that from you right now based on what you're telling me. I think you're telling me something different. Okay.
>> But I know you're a Marine. Okay. I know a lot of people that's Marines, man.
And and that's one thing that they would like integrity, honor. No, you don't mess with that if you're a Marine.
>> Yes. I know you want to tell me the truth and and you're sitting here like giving me a story. You're giving me
you're giving me what I want to hear just to sound good, but it's not it. That's not it. Trust me, I'm not trying
to sound good to you. And then I'm going to tell you the I'm going to tell you the other thing.
And I'm going to be straight up with you. >> Yeah. You keep talking about the autopsy.
>> [music] >> The autopsy said he was strangled. Hell, no. The autopsy said he was strangled. Hell,
no. Hell to the no, no, no. Hell to the no, DJ was not strangled. Hell to the no.
I'm going to just let it sink in and and let you you decide what you're going to
do. Explain that to His No, DJ wasn't strangled. Well, then what happened? Tell me what
happened. >> There's no No. DJ was not strangled. DJ, like I told you, DJ went downstairs, he
came back upstairs, and DJ was he was in that tub. I like I said, when I came in that room,
he was in the tub. When I when I grabbed him out, I grabbed him like this. Like he was put him in the fireman's carry.
When they left, I could drag him up to my room. If If that's the case, I would have
left him in there and I would have said or had them come in there to be like, "But DJ wasn't no strangle."
There was no way No, there was no way he was DJ wasn't no strangle. Mhm. That's your boy. You had pride in him.
>> Yeah. But you had You had pride in him. You were trying to help him out with his
grades. You were getting him in his STEM classes and then this happened. >> But you're saying DJ was strangled? No.
Well, then tell me what happened. >> [music] >> This didn't happen. I'm going to tell
you that right now. This didn't happen. You're saying he wasn't a So No, no, I'm
not saying that. >> [music] >> I'm not saying that. I believe that part. But I believe something else happened.
Note Eric's lack of emotion when hearing this information. No tears are shed, but
rather an array of defensive rage. This, alongside the other countless red flags
Eric is portraying, is a telltale sign for detectives that a suspect is lying. You need to tell me the whole story.
Like I said, DJ when I When we came When I came in there, DJ was DJ was literally
in that tub. There was no way I'm going to sit there and strangle DJ. Not in my home, Tristan. Why would I I don't even
have no I'm I'm going to want to strangle this boy. I have no nothing against him to want to
strangle him. Nothing. Okay. No anger in my heart, no nothing. Cuz then like I said, if I was
going to do that, why would I leave my other two boys? If I was going to do that, I would have
took all of us out. DJ was not no strangle. So then what happened? Tell me the story. You need to start.
You start from scratch. Tell me the story. DJ was not no strangle. >> Well, then tell me what happened.
You're not telling me the truth. Tell me what happened. Bro, I'm telling you >> here standing right now. Giving you a
chance right now. You tell You asked me to tell you that I strangled myself. No,
I didn't. Eric understands the legal system well, well enough to avoid offering a direct
confession when confronted. From investigators perspective, he knows that admitting involvement is the worst thing
he can possibly do. Well, besides not asking for an attorney. Regardless, it's going to take more than just a heated
confrontation to make Eric crack. So, Detective Adrian resorts to a completely different approach, empathy. I'm going
to tell you right now the the way This is going to be something you have to live with for the rest of your life.
>> Yes, sir. This is something you are going to have to think about every night before you
close your eyes. And when you close your eyes, you're going to think about what you did
to him. That's what you're going to think about. That's what you're going to think about
what you did to him. And it's going to haunt you for the rest [music] of your life. Or what you can do
is you can talk to me. You can You can tell You can tell me what really happened, and at least that load will be
off your chest. >> See, you're I'm telling you right now there's no like [music] you're telling
me to say I strangled my son. I did not strangle my son. That's what you're asking me. I understand you're
trying to lie with me and you know and show the compassion trying to like give me But there's no
There's [music] no There's no me and strangling DJ at all. >> Okay, so let's take strangle out.
There's no me strangling DJ. >> We're taking strangle out of the equation now. Okay. What [music]
happened? I told you what happened. We're taking strangle out. What happened? He was upstairs in that tub.
DJ was literally in that tub. >> You didn't put him there. I did not put him there. No. DJ was physically in that
tub already. When I came to that bathroom, DJ was in there. Did you assist him [music] at all? No.
>> With anything? No, I didn't assist him at all with nothing. Nothing. I did not
assist him to get in that bathroom. Did not assist him going in that bathroom. He was upstairs already. Like I said,
when I When he went downstairs, he was downstairs for a good period of time. He was upstairs in the what's his name? I
was down. Tristan was down. Tristan was trying to go what's his name with his shoe. I was I told him and that's what I
heard said out of his mouth, "Daddy, what's wrong with DJ?" Tristan literally said that out of his mouth. And I went
up there to check on I didn't see I don't recall seeing him don't recall him removing a belt. I
don't recall removing anything that could have been around his neck. I don't recall removing a
So So here's the thing and and I hate to frustrate you and I hate to but I also have a job to do and I also and also
have to get down to the bottom of this. And when I walk through the door Mhm. and when I hear everything that happened
things don't add up. Things don't make sense. [music] Okay. They don't make sense at all. If you would have done
things different, if you would have been like yes, my son I just found my son in
the tub. I helped him out and told the officer you know this. Mhm. If you would have done it that way it would have been
different. But the fact that you didn't, now you're sitting here trying to explain yourself.
Well, I'm sitting here cuz the whole situation I'm sitting here because I lied and said he wasn't in the
house. I'm sitting here because I didn't tell the officer like you said it's straight forward what was going on.
That's two lies right there. How how Like you said earlier, how are we supposed to believe you now? Yeah, and
like I said So you tell you telling me how am I supposed to strangle How how did I not assist him [music]
in getting in the tub and I don't know possibly drowning him? I don't know. No. I don't know.
>> [music] >> But all >> Cuz even if he even if I drowned him but here's the thing All I know is that you
keep lying. No, bro. >> You lied initially twice. How do I know you're not lying right now? Because like
I told you straight forward. I said And I And I told you straight forward Bro, because that's why I said in the
beginning I said straight forward I there's nothing I can say. I said I already know y'all have done y'all
homework. Laid it all out on the table. I said because there's nothing I can say
that's because I already lied to you twice. I said he wasn't in the home. I identified that. I messed that up
because then I see my son is dead. Okay. All right. Do you um I'm going to I'm going to leave you
alone for a little bit um to think about things, but do you want anything else to drink or anything
to eat? Um I'm good with the water and the chips. Okay, give me just a second. All
right. All right. You need anything else? Um no, sir. All right. As the detective leaves, Eric
scans the room thoroughly and finally notices the camera hidden inside room 2B. Moments after making eye contact
with the camera, he lets out one last desperate act. >> [music] >> Strangled? I don't know.
Unfortunately, it'd be too late to act his way out of the murder. Eric's testimony was flimsy at best and
Detective Adrian decided he'd gotten enough to wrap the nearly 5-hour interview up. Shortly thereafter, Eric
was booked into the Anne Arundel County Detention Center under charges of first-degree murder, second-degree
murder, and child abuse resulting in death. >> [music] >> At trial, Eric would quickly accept a
plea deal to second-degree murder as well as attempting to disarm a police officer. And on October 4th, 2022, he
was sentenced to 42 years in prison. If Eric serves his full sentence, he'll be released in 2064.

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Brief Summary

Eric Banks, a police officer, is sentenced for murdering his son Dayson, revealing a tragic family dynamic and police investigation.

Key points

The Tense Family Dynamics. Eric's conflicting statements raise suspicions about his son's disappearance.
Eric's Alibi Unravels. Eric's attempts to explain his son's absence only deepen the officers' suspicions.
The Disturbing Discovery. Officers uncover a chilling secret in Eric's bedroom wall: Dayson's deceased body.
Dayson's Cause of Death. Dayson's autopsy report revealed he likely died from asphyxiation, suggesting foul play.
Evan's Testimony. Evan, just seven years old, holds crucial information about the day of Dayson's murder.
Eric's Life Unraveling. Eric's life began to collapse after a protective order was filed by Latrice, his wife.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Dayson's disappearance on the very day he and his mom were supposed to move out.

Highlighting the unusual circumstances of Dayson's disappearance.

3:19WatchDec 23, 2025

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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