A Virginia man accused of killing his wife and another man during an affair with his family’s au pair is on trial for murder.
Brendan Banfield is accused of qualified homicide in the fatal stabbing of his wife, Christine Banfieldand the filming of Joseph Ryan at his home in Herndon, Virginia, in February 2023, according to authorities.
Banfield’s trial began on Monday January 12. His defense attorney, John Carroll, did not immediately return calls Us Weekly’s request for comment.
According to prosecutors, Brendan, 40, they planned the murders of his wife and Ryan with Juliana Peres Magalhãesan au pair who worked for him, while having a romantic relationship with Peres Magalhães, according to prosecutors, WTOP reported.
Brendan and Peres Magalhães are accused of trying to frame Ryan in Christine’s death.
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On February 24, 2023, Brendan and Peres Magalhães called 911 at Brendan’s home, according to Fairfax County Policewho said officers found a “horrific scene” when they arrived.
They saw that Christine, 37, had been stabbed and Ryan, 39, of Springfield, had been shot, police said.
Brendan and Peres Magalhães told authorities that Ryan, whom they described as a stranger, entered the home and stabbed Christineaccording to The Associated Press. They said they both shot Ryan in response, according to authorities.
Prosecutors, however, argue that Brendan and Peres Magalhães lured Ryan to the home as part of the plot to kill Christine, The Associated Press reported.
Peres Magalhães in short pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in October 2024 in connection with the fatal shooting of Ryan, 39, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano. He was 24 at the time of his guilty plea.
Before Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty, she gave a statement to authorities in which she said that before the murders, she and Brendan had used Christine’s name on a social media site for sex fetishes, according to The Associated Press.
On the website, the account they used for Christine communicated with Ryan to coordinate plans for a sexual encounter with a knife on Feb. 24, 2023, the day they were killed, according to Peres Magalhães’ statement, The Associated Press reported.
According to prosecutorsBrendan was behind what has been described as a ruse and had been messaging Ryan, who “probably believed” he was going to meet Christine for a “violent sexual role-play” experience, CNN reported.
Brendan, who previously worked as an IRS agent, began having an affair with Peres Magalhães in August 2022, after she began working for him and his wife in late 2021, prosecutors said, CNN reported.
“In the fall of 2022, Brendan Banfield expressed to Peres Magalhães his desire to get rid of his wife and shortly thereafter began planning to kill his wife and, ultimately, Joseph Ryan, the victim in this case,” prosecutors alleged, according to the outlet.
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Brendan’s daughter was home when prosecutors say he stabbed Christine and shot Ryan. Her daughter was 4 years old at the time.
After being charged with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced additional charges against Brendan in December 2024.
Charges related to Brendan’s daughter include felony child abuse and neglect and felony child cruelty, Descano said.
“My office is committed to making the strongest possible case against Brendan Banfield for the alleged murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan,” Descano said in a statement at the time.
Brendan has pleaded not guilty to the deaths of Christine and Ryan, The Associated Press reported.
Peres Magalhães will be recommended to be sentenced to time served, according to his plea deal, as part of his cooperation in the case, CNN reported.