A Virginia man who was having an affair with his family’s Brazilian au pair used an elaborate scheme to lure an unsuspecting man to the house as part of a plan to kill his wife, prosecutors said in opening statements on Tuesday.
Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the February 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and the second man, Joseph Ryan, at the Banfields’ home in northern Virginia. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.
Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna Sands told jurors that Banfield and Juliana Peres Magalhães were in love. Banfield did not want a divorce because he didn't want to share custody of his then-4-year-old daughter with his wife. To eliminate Christine, they impersonated her on a social media site for sexual fetishes and spent a month arranging a scenario in which Ryan would act out an arranged rape fantasy.
They planned for Ryan to arrive in the morning while Christine was sleeping, armed with restraints and a knife. While they left the house, Magalhães entered after Ryan and subsequently called Brendan. She later called 911 but hung up initially; she only called again after both had shot Ryan and Brendan had stabbed Christine multiple times.
Magalhães was charged with murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2024 after cooperating with investigators. Banfield’s attorney claimed that Magalhães maintained her innocence until she changed her story for a plea deal.
The prosecution argues that Banfield and Magalhães were 'catfishing' Ryan, while the defense asserts that this theory is unsupported by evidence. In a tragic twist, witnesses described the chaotic scene at the Banfield home during the killings, where Brendan appeared panicked and distraught upon learning of his wife's death.
Banfield, who will face charges of child abuse connected to the case, awaits the outcome of his aggravated murder trial.
