A person testified on Wednesday that he cherished his spouse and didn’t need to finish his marriage, regardless of having an affair with his family’s au pair in what would change into a sprawling double murder case centered across the two of them.
Sporting a grey go well with and a plaid tie, Brendan Banfield testified in a Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom below oath about what occurred the day he started dishonest on his late spouse, Christine Banfield, with Juliana Peres Magalhães in what he stated was an informal affair. He described Magalhães scooting her chair nearer to his whereas consuming dinner one night time, whereas his spouse was out of city. He testified that she adopted him into his room at bedtime, and he did not cease her.
However Banfield testified he and Magalhães didn’t plot to kill his spouse and one other man within the months that adopted, regardless of what prosecutors recommend.
“I believe that it is an absurd line of questioning for one thing that isn’t critical, {that a} plan was made to do away with my spouse,” he testified. “That’s completely loopy.”
Banfield is charged with aggravated homicide within the killings of his spouse and Joe Ryan. His testimony will probably be a key piece of proof {that a} northern Virginia jury will probably be tasked with weighing this month. Banfield, who has pleaded not responsible, may face life in jail if convicted by his friends.
Tom Brenner / AP
Prosecutors say Banfield and Magalhães lured Ryan to their home. Based on officers, the 2 then shot him, and Banfield stabbed his spouse, staging the scene to look as if Ryan had been a predator stabbing Christine Banfield.
One of many witnesses who corroborates prosecutors’ idea is Magalhães herself.
Earlier in January, Magalhães testified that she and Banfield had created an account in Christine Banfield’s title on a social media platform for folks all in favour of sexual fetishes. There, Ryan related with the account, and the customers made plans to fulfill for a sexual encounter involving a knife.
She testified to Banfield’s plan to kill his spouse and reside his life with Magalhães after they started their affair, plotting for months their ruse.
Magalhaes testified that she crouched behind the mattress and coated her eyes and ears whereas Brendan Banfield repeatedly stabbed his spouse, CBS affiliate WUSA-TV reported.
Brendan Banfield appeared to cry in courtroom whereas listening to the 911 name from the day his spouse was killed of their mattress, the station reported.
Banfield testified that the au pair’s omission to officers was a lie, saying “there was no plan.” He additionally stated that each he and his spouse had affairs all through the course of their 19-year relationship, however determined by way of {couples} remedy to proceed their marriage.
His testimony comes as John Carroll, Banfield’s lawyer, spent a lot of the trial scrutinizing Magalhães’ motives within the case. The previous au pair was initially charged with second-degree homicide in Ryan’s killing, however has since pleaded responsible to a downgraded manslaughter cost.
As an illustration, Magalhães did not bear in mind who created the e-mail deal with related to the social media account and the place she and Brendan Banfield have been on the day it had been procured. She testified that she didn’t bear in mind who wrote what messages to Ryan. And she or he admitted below oath to negotiating with a true-crime writer and producers to share her story for cash.
Tom Brenner / AP 
On the stand, Banfield spoke of his relationship along with his spouse, describing them as inseparable regardless of the affair. “We have been collectively the complete time. We did not break up at any level,” Banfield stated.
“Did you’re keen on your spouse?” Carroll requested at one level.
“Very a lot,” he stated.
“Did you need to proceed your marriage along with your spouse?” his lawyer stated.
“Sure.”
WUSA-TV reported that at an April 2024 hearing for Magalhães, prosecutors confirmed information that two months earlier than the taking pictures, Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield visited the Silver Eagle Group Capturing Vary. A number of weeks later, Brendan Banfield additionally bought a gun, which was finally used to shoot Ryan, Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Lawyer Eric Clingan stated.
Earlier than the trial, Ryan’s mom, Deirdre Fisher, told WUSA-TV that her son had talked to her about consensual position play however stated he was not a violent particular person. Fisher informed the station she remembers each element of studying about her son’s loss of life.
“I bear in mind once I received the decision from the detective … I may hear my very own voice screaming,” she stated. “It was virtually prefer it was outdoors of my physique listening to that he had been killed.”
