A Virginia man who had an affair with his family’s Brazilian au pair has been charged with the mass murder of his wife and an unidentified stranger.
Brendan Banfield, 40, has denied murdering Christine Banfield as well as Joseph Ryan, whom he allegedly planned to frame for the murder of his wife at the family home in February 2023.
In opening statements, lead prosecutor Jenna Sands said that Banfield and Juliana Pérez Magalhaes, the family couple, were in love.
Banfield wanted to avoid divorce to maintain full custody of his daughter.
Brendan Banfield appeared in court in Fairfax on Tuesday. Image: Court TV/AP
Ms Sands told the Fairfax County court that “Brandon expressed his desire to be rid of Christine,” and the pair impersonated her on the social media site for sexual attraction.
He said that Banfield had arranged with Mr. Ryan an elaborate scenario in which he would carry out a fantasy of systematic rape, and Mr. Ryan was instructed not to stop “even if she was calling for help.”
The family home in Northern Virginia, where the bodies of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan were found
Brendan Banfield and his wife Christine
Magalhaes, 25, has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of murder for her role in the double murder plot and has agreed to testify against Banfield.
Prosecutors continued the alleged description of the murder: “Brandon enters the bedroom, shoots Joe in the head first, picks up the knife he brought and stabs Christine repeatedly in the neck.
“He instructs Juliana to shoot Joe a second time with her gun; this time the bullet penetrates Joe’s chest and Christine dies.”
Brazilian couple Perez Magalhaes of the family have confessed to murder
Banfield’s defence lawyer, John Carroll, disputed the prosecution’s case, telling the court that digital forensics would show that Christine Banfield had engaged directly with Mr Ryan on the site.
“You’re going to see a presentation of a terrible, tragic, terrible event,” he said.
He said there was no dispute that Banfield and Magalhaes were having an affair, but “there is more to see”.
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Brendan Banfield and his wife Christine Banfield
The defence said Magalhaes maintained his innocence for a year but eventually changed his story in exchange for a prosecution deal.
“The whole reason for arresting him was to turn him against my client,” Mr Carroll said.
Perez Magalhaes is reportedly giving evidence to police to implicate Brendan Banfield
daughter was at home on the morning of the murder,
Banfield, whose daughter was at home on the morning of the murder, denies aggravated murder, child abuse and child cruelty.
He faces life in prison if found guilty of murder. The lawsuit is ongoing.
