A Virginia man accused of murdering his wife and a guest at his home testified Tuesday that he told his au pair the divorce would cost too much money and that he didn’t want to split child custody — details allegedly leading to her death.
The trial of Brendan Banfield, 40, who faces charges for the February 2023 double murder in Herndon, Virginia, began Tuesday. Prosecutors say Banfield orchestrated the deaths of his 37-year-old wife, Christine Banfield, and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan through a scheme involving a fetish website.
According to testimony from Juliana Peres Magalhaes, the family’s Brazilian au pair who worked for the Banfields since October 2021, Banfield began an affair with her in August 2022. When Magalhaes asked about divorce, he allegedly told her a divorce would be too expensive and he didn’t want to split custody.
“Initially, he didn’t know what he would do,” Magalhaes said. “He just mentioned that he would think about it [and] let me know when he thought about it.”
Magalhaes testified Banfield instructed her to get a new phone and Apple ID and ordered her to park in a different location on the day of the murders.
Prosecutors say Banfield impersonated his wife on a fetish website for approximately one month before luring Ryan — who believed he was speaking with Christine Banfield — to the couple’s home. At the scene, Banfield shot Ryan and then stabbed Christine multiple times in the neck.
According to court documents, Banfield was heard identifying himself as a federal agent during a 911 call after the shooting: “There’s somebody here; I shot him. But he stabbed her. She’s bleeding. She’s got several marks on her neck. What do I do?”
Magalhaes pleaded guilty to manslaughter in October 2024 and will be sentenced following Banfield’s trial.
Banfield, a former IRS special agent, faces aggravated murder charges for his wife’s death, plus child abuse and endangerment charges because their 4-year-old daughter was present at the scene. If convicted on all counts, he could face life in prison without parole plus an additional 13 years.
The defense attorney, John Carroll, questioned Magalhaes’ motivation for taking a plea deal after nearly a year of protesting her innocence. Banfield pleaded not guilty to the charges.
