A Virginia man charged with murdering his wife and another man testified Wednesday that he did not plot their deaths, despite prosecutors’ allegations that he and the family’s au pair orchestrated the killings. Brendan Banfield, wearing a gray suit and plaid tie, testified in Fairfax County court that he loved his wife, Christine, and did not want to end their 19-year marriage, even though he had begun an affair with au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães.
Banfield’s testimony represents his central defense against prosecutors’ theory that he and Magalhães conspired to lure Joe Ryan to their home, where they shot him and Banfield stabbed his wife, staging the scene to implicate Ryan. If convicted of aggravated murder, Banfield faces life in prison.
The Defendant’s Defense
In a Fairfax County courtroom Wednesday, Brendan Banfield denied prosecutors’ central allegation: that he and his family’s au pair conspired to kill his wife and a man prosecutors say they lured to their home.
“I think that it’s an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious, that a plan was made to get rid of my wife,” Banfield testified. “That is absolutely crazy.”
The testimony is the latest chapter in a case built on contradictions between Banfield’s account and that of Juliana Peres Magalhães, the au pair who has agreed to testify for prosecutors. Magalhães has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Joe Ryan and is now cooperating with the state.
How the Affair Began
Banfield described the start of his affair with Magalhães in sparse detail. He testified that she scooted her chair closer to his during dinner one night while his wife, Christine, was out of town. She then followed him to his room at bedtime, and he did not stop her, according to his testimony.
Despite the affair, Banfield testified he loved his wife and wanted the marriage to continue. He said both he and Christine had affairs throughout their 19-year relationship but had committed to staying married after going through couples therapy together.
“We were together the entire time,” Banfield said on the stand. “We didn’t break up at any point.”
When his attorney, John Carroll, asked directly, “Did you love your wife?” Banfield replied, “Very much.”
The Prosecution’s Case
Prosecutors allege a far darker narrative. They say Banfield and Magalhães created a fake account in Christine Banfield’s name on a social media platform for people interested in sexual fetishes. Using that account, they allegedly lured Ryan to the house with promises of a sexual encounter involving a knife.
Once Ryan arrived, according to prosecutors, Banfield and Magalhães shot him. Banfield then allegedly stabbed his wife and staged the scene to make it appear that Ryan had been the aggressor.
Magalhães testified earlier in the trial that she and Banfield had plotted for months to kill Christine so he could live his life with her after the affair began.
The Credibility Challenge
Banfield’s attorney has focused much of the trial on undermining Magalhães’ credibility. Carroll pointed out that Magalhães could not remember who created the email address connected to the social media account or where she and Banfield were on the day the account was set up. She also testified she did not recall who wrote the messages to Ryan.
In addition, Magalhães admitted under oath that she has been negotiating with a true-crime author and television producers to share her story for money — a detail that could influence how a jury views her cooperation with prosecutors.
The Charges
Banfield, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged with aggravated murder in the deaths of Christine Banfield and Joe Ryan. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
Magalhães was initially charged with second-degree murder in Ryan’s death but pleaded guilty to the downgraded charge of manslaughter.