A Virginia man has been discovered responsible of killing his wife and a stranger lured to their house underneath false pretenses in an elaborate plot to do away with his partner so he might be along with his au pair, with whom he was having an affair.
Brendan Banfield, 40, is accused of stabbing his spouse to dying of their house in Fairfax County and fatally taking pictures a person he allegedly “catfished” on a fetish web site. Prosecutors mentioned he pretended to be his spouse to lure the person to their house for what was believed to be a consensual pretend rape state of affairs so as to body that stranger for his spouse’s homicide.
The jury deliberated practically 9 hours over two days, beginning Friday, earlier than reaching a verdict Monday afternoon, discovering him responsible of two counts of aggravated homicide. He exhibited little emotion whereas the decision was learn.
His sentencing has been scheduled for Could 8. He faces a life sentence with out the potential of parole.
Brendan Banfield testifies in his personal protection on Jan. 28, 2026, throughout his double homicide trial in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Pool/ABC Information
The previous IRS agent was charged with aggravated homicide in 2024 following a monthslong investigation into the deaths of his spouse, 37-year-old nurse Christine Banfield, and the person, 39-year-old Joseph Ryan.
Prosecutors accused Brendan Banfield of plotting the murders with the household’s au pair, 25-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes, who was initially charged with second-degree homicide in reference to the deaths.
Forward of the trial, Peres Magalhaes pleaded responsible to manslaughter. Underneath the plea settlement with prosecutors, she’s going to obtain time served for testifying towards Brendan Banfield.
Throughout closing arguments on Friday, the prosecutor made the case that the murders had been premeditated.
“He was in love with Juliana. He can faux that this was a fling and affair — he’d had them earlier than, no large deal. He was in love with Juliana,” prosecutor Jenna Sands mentioned. “He was afraid of dropping her. He wanted to do away with his spouse in order that they might be collectively, in order that they may marry, in order that they may have these infants that he was choosing out names for.”
Sands mentioned there was no proof that Christine Banfield had beforehand used relationship or fetish web sites, argued that there have been indicators that the crime scene had been “manipulated,” and reminded jurors that through the au pair’s testimony, Peres Magalhaes “instructed us how the plan was crafted and the way it performed out.”
Christine Banfield is seen in an undated picture.
Obtained by ABC Information
Joseph Ryan is seen in an undated picture.
Obtained by ABC Information
The protection, in the meantime, pushed again on the catfishing idea, questioned the thoroughness of the investigation and argued that there have been conclusions made based mostly on affirmation bias. The lawyer, John Carroll, claimed that prosecutors pressured Peres Magalhaes to vary her story and that she “secured herself a deal that benefited her.” Carroll additionally mentioned Brendan Banfield did not need to testify, however he did as they sought “to get the reality on the market.”
“Is it affordable, after a six- to eight-week affair, that somebody goes to attempt to do away with their companion of 19 years, spouse of 12 years? Is that affordable?” Carroll requested the jury. “You heard from my shopper: He thinks it is absurd.”
Throughout his testimony, Brendan Banfield referred to as the allegations “completely loopy” and mentioned his affair with Peres Magalhaes was simply that and nothing extra.
He mentioned he got here house on Feb. 24, 2023, after the au pair referred to as to alert him a few stranger within the house. He mentioned he went as much as his bed room along with his gun drawn and located his spouse bare with Ryan and that she referred to as out, “Brendan, he has a knife!”
“I used to be extraordinarily terrified,” Brendan Banfield instructed the jury. “I do not assume I’ve ever been extra panicked in my life.”
He mentioned he fired his government-issued firearm, putting Ryan within the head, after the person appeared to stab his spouse.
Prosecutors mentioned Christine Banfield was stabbed seven instances within the neck.
Juliana Peres Magalhaes testifies through the double homicide trial of Brendan Banfield on Jan. 13, 2026, in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Tom Brenner/Pool by way of AP
Peres Magalhaes testified that Brendan Banfield expressed his need to “do away with” his spouse in October 2022, saying, “At first, I believed he was joking.”
She testified that she had helped Brendan Banfield catfish Ryan on the fetish web site to lure Ryan to the house.
Peres Magalhaes instructed the courtroom that Brendan Banfield instructed her he needed to marry her and have youngsters together with her, and that he did not need to divorce his spouse as a result of “she would have extra money than he would” and since he needed custody of the couple’s daughter.
Brendan Banfield’s house in Fairfax County, Virginia.
WJLA
Brendan Banfield was moreover charged with utilizing a firearm whereas committing or making an attempt to commit homicide and youngster endangerment. The couple’s then-4-year-old daughter was in the home on the time of the killings, within the basement. The jury discovered him responsible of these two counts as properly.
“He left her within the basement, understanding that Joe Ryan was upstairs,” Sands mentioned throughout her closing argument. “He left her within the basement whereas he shot and killed Joe Ryan. He left her within the basement whereas he stabbed his spouse.”
