The Murder of James ‘Jamie’ Carroll

Written By Kiley Baumgartner

For this case, I watched an episode of Snapped: Killer Couples. It’s season 17 episode 1.

A man tells the police about a potential homicide case after he is arrested for a domestic dispute.

Background

James ‘Jamie’ Carroll had moved from a small town in Eastern Kentucky to Louisville. He was very creative with styling hair and doing makeup. He also performed as a drag queen.

Jamie’s life took a downward turn when he got into doing and dealing drugs. In 2009, he was arrested for dealing drugs. In December 2009, Jamie didn’t show up to his sentencing hearing. His mom never reported him missing because she believed he was serving a jail sentence for dealing drugs.

Around the time that he had been dealing drugs, Jamie met a man named Joey Banis. They became involved in a romantic relationship. Joey was also in a relationship and living with another man named Jeffrey Mundt.

James ‘Jamie’ Carroll

The 911 Call

Jeffrey Mundt moved from Chicago to Louisville in 2009. He moved into a historic red brick mansion in Old Louisville. The mansion was falling apart, but Jeffrey was up to the task to fix it.

The mansion in Old Louisville

In the fall of 2009, Jeffrey met Joey Banis. Joey was a bad boy, and Jeffrey was into computers. A few weeks into their relationship, Joey moved into Jeffrey’s mansion with him.

By June 2010, Jeffrey and Joey had been dating for about 6 months. On June 17, 2010, Jeffrey placed a 911 call at 9:30 pm. He told the dispatcher that his boyfriend was attacking him. Joey had been armed with a hammer and was attempting to break down the bedroom door.

When the police arrived, they spotted Joey running down the stairs. He had a backpack with him that contained drug paraphernalia. He was arrested for a domestic dispute.

Jeffrey was found unharmed in the upstairs bedroom of the mansion.

A Shocking Confession

Joey was interviewed in a police car. Jeffrey stayed inside the house to be interviewed.

Jeffrey said that Joey had threatened to kill him. Jeffrey said it wasn’t the first time that they had fought, but was the first time he called the police.

Joey told the police that Jeffrey had been responsible for a murder back in December 2009. Joey said the victim’s name was Jamie Carroll. The police looked into this and realized that no one had reported Jamie missing.

Joey said Jeffrey had invited Jamie over to the house because Jamie was a drug dealer. They had noticed that Jamie had cash with him. Jeffrey then told Joey that they should kill Jamie. Joey said Jeffrey had recently lost his job and needed money for his drug habit.

Joey said Jeffrey and Jamie were naked in bed together while he was also in the room getting high. Joey said he suddenly heard a scream. He saw Jeffrey stabbing Jamie. Joey said he started hyperventilating and was shocked. He said Jamie was calling out for him and asking for help.

Joey said Jeffrey not only stabbed Jamie but pulled out a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and shot him. He said there was blood everywhere.

The Discovery

According to Joey, Jeffrey took Jamie’s phone and broke it. Joey said Jeffrey threatened to kill him and his family if he ever said anything.

Joey helped Jeffrey drag the body down to the wine cellar. The basement still had a dirt floor, so they dug a hole. Joey said Jeffrey was high and “acting maniacal.”

Joey was asked why he was reporting the crime a year later. Joey said he was afraid for himself and his family, so he didn’t report it. He also said he was in love with Jeffrey at the time.

The police obtained a search warrant for the house. Jeffrey was still at the house and was told what the allegations were. Jeffrey wasn’t arrested at the time but was transported to the police station.

Three detectives went into the basement with shovels. The police dug for several hours until they hit something hard. It was a Rubbermaid container. The smell of a decomposing body hit them right away. The body was transported to the medical examiner’s office.

The bedroom where the murder allegedly took place was also searched. The police collected phones and computers. They found a hole that looked like it could have been from a bullet.

A luminol test was done. The test didn’t show much signs of blood in the bedroom but there was a lot in the bathtub and drain.

He Said-He Said

Jeffrey was interviewed at the police station. Jeffrey asked if they could just tell him if there was someone buried in his house. The police said there was. Jeffrey said he had no involvement or knowledge of the murder.

Joey had a long criminal history involving drugs and violent crimes. He had been in prison several times and had just been released when he met Jeffrey. Joey also didn’t have a job at the time.

Jeffrey said that the domestic dispute occurred after he tried to end the relationship for good. Jeffrey said he was very afraid of Joey.

The police looked further into Jamie’s background. About 3 weeks after the murder, his car had been impounded not far from the crime scene.

Jamie was identified by a tattoo that had not decomposed. His family had identified it as being Jamie’s tattoo. Jamie had been shot once in the chin. The medical examiner found a .38 caliber bullet lodged in his chin. He had been shot in the back of the head execution style.

A Toxic Relationship

Joey was interviewed for a 2nd time. Joey was confronted and told that he would be charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and unlawful imprisonment. He was also told that Jeffrey was blaming everything on him.

Joey told his story again, but this time admitted to meeting Jamie online after being released from prison. It was around the same time that he had met Jeffrey. Joey said that Jeffrey and Jamie didn’t really like each other and that Jeffrey was jealous.

Joey said Jeffrey went to a hardware store the day after the murder to buy Lyme and the Rubbermaid container. Joey said Jamie’s body had already gone into rigor mortis.

Joey said they couldn’t fit Jamie’s body into the container, so Jeffrey took a sledgehammer and was able to fold him up. He then dumped Lyme on his body.

During Jeffrey’s 2nd interview, he admitted to knowing more about the murder. He said he knew that there had been a body in the basement. Jeffrey blamed the murder on Joey. He said Joey had a knife and slit Jamie’s throat, and shot him with the revolver. Jeffrey said Joey threatened to kill him, his family, and his cats if he ever told anyone.

The Arrests

The police learned that Joey and Jeffrey had both been arrested in Chicago for passing a counterfeit $100 bill to a valet. This took place in April 2010, 4 months after Jamie’s murder.

After the police in Chicago were called, they searched Jeffrey and Joey’s hotel room. They found about $54,000 in counterfeit money. They also had fake IDs and date rape drugs.

They ran a counterfeit money scheme from their mansion. They would take small bills, bleach them, and restamp them as $50 or $100 dollar bills.

The Chicago police also found a .38 caliber revolver in their possession. A ballistics test proved that it had been the gun that killed Jamie.

Joey and Jeffrey were both arrested for the murder of Jamie. After their arrests, it became a media sensation.

Trial #1

They both went on trial about 3 years after the murder. They were tried separately, and the death penalty was dropped in exchange for them testifying against each other.

Joey was tried first in February 2013. The prosecution argued that both Joey and Jeffrey were involved in the murder. They were painted as being a twisted couple who killed Jaime over jealousy, money, and drugs. They killed Jamie and buried him in Jeffrey’s house.

Jeffrey testified against Joey. He said he was never jealous of Joey and Jamie’s relationship. He said that Joey was abusive and controlling.

Joey’s defense claimed that Jeffrey was into BDSM. Photos and videos had been found on a computer showing that Jeffrey was the dominant partner.

Joey Banis was found guilty of murder and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.

Trial #2

On May 12, 2013, Jeffrey went on trial.

The prosecution argued that Jeffrey was extremely smart and deviant.

The jury was shown a new piece of evidence. Joey had recorded a video and labeled it as “my suicide tape.” He admitted to doing some terrible things which he could never recover from. In the video, he admitted to murdering Jamie. It’s believed that the video was fake and directed by Jeffrey.

Joey testified that Jeffrey had killed Jamie due to his jealousy.

On May 29, 2013, the verdict was read. Jeffrey was found not guilty of murder. He was found guilty of robbery and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 8 years.

It’s believed that Jeffrey’s 911 call on the night of the domestic dispute helped sway the jury. Jeffrey sounded fearful and afraid for his life.

Other

In August 2014, Jeffrey was released from prison after serving 1 year of his 8-year sentence.

Joey will be eligible for parole in 2030.

They weren’t tried for their crimes in Chicago.

Joey Banis and Jeffrey Mundt

Kiley Baumgartner
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