A Virginia man accused of killing his spouse and one other man throughout an affair along with his household’s au pair is on trial for homicide.
Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated homicide within the deadly stabbing of his spouse, Christine Banfield, and the taking pictures of Joseph Ryan at his house in Herndon, Virginia in February 2023, in accordance with authorities.
Banfield’s trial started on Monday, January 12. His protection lawyer, John Carroll, didn’t instantly return Us Weekly’s request for remark.
In keeping with prosecutors, Brendan, 40, plotted the killings of his spouse and Ryan with Juliana Peres Magalhães, an au pair working for him, whereas having a romantic relationship with Peres Magalhães, in accordance with prosecutors, WTOP reported.
Brendan and Peres Magalhães are accused of making an attempt to border Ryan in Christine’s demise.
On February 24, 2023, Brendan and Peres Magalhães referred to as 911 to Brendan’s house, in accordance with Fairfax County police, who stated responding officers discovered an “appalling scene” after they arrived.
They noticed Christine, 37, had been stabbed and Ryan, 39, of Springfield, had been shot, police stated.
Brendan and Peres Magalhães informed authorities that Ryan, who they described as a stranger, got here into the home and stabbed Christine, in accordance with The Related Press. They stated that they each shot Ryan in response, in accordance with authorities.
Prosecutors, nonetheless, argue that Brendan and Peres Magalhães lured Ryan to the house as a part of the plot to kill Christine, The Related Press reported.
Peres Magalhães in the end pleaded responsible to manslaughter in October 2024 in reference to fatally taking pictures Ryan, 39, in accordance with Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Legal professional Steve Descano. She was 24 on the time of her responsible plea.
Earlier than Peres Magalhães pleaded responsible, she gave an announcement to authorities through which she stated that forward of the killings, she and Brendan had used Christine’s identify on a social media website for sexual fetishes, in accordance with The Related Press.
On the web site, the account they used for Christine communicated with Ryan to coordinate plans for a sexual meetup involving a knife on February 24, 2023, the day they had been killed, in accordance with Peres Magalhães’ assertion, The Related Press reported.
In keeping with prosecutors, Brendan was behind what has been described as a ruse and had been messaging with Ryan, who “seemingly believed” that he was going to fulfill with Christine for a “violent sexual position play” expertise, CNN reported.
Brendan, who previously labored as an IRS agent, started having an affair with Peres Magalhães in August 2022, after she began working for him and his spouse in late 2021, prosecutors stated, CNN reported.
“Within the fall of 2022, Brendan Banfield expressed to Peres Magalhães his need to be rid of his spouse and shortly thereafter started planning to kill his spouse in addition to, in the end, Joseph Ryan, the sufferer on this case,” prosecutors have alleged, in accordance with the outlet.
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Brendan’s daughter was house when prosecutors stated he stabbed Christine and shot Ryan. His daughter was 4 years previous on the time.
After being charged with 4 counts of aggravated homicide and one depend of use of a firearm within the fee of a felony, Commonwealth’s Legal professional Steve Descano introduced extra fees in opposition to Brendan in December 2024.
The costs referring to Brendan’s daughter embrace one depend of felony youngster abuse and neglect and one depend of felony youngster cruelty, Descano stated.
“My workplace is dedicated to bringing the strongest case attainable in opposition to Brendan Banfield for the alleged murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan,” Descano stated in an announcement on the time.
Brendan has pleaded not responsible in Christine and Ryan’s deaths, The Related Press reported.
It will likely be beneficial that Peres Magalhães needs to be sentenced to time served, in accordance with her plea settlement, as a part of her cooperation within the case, CNN reported.
