A Virginia man on trial for killing his spouse and one other man took the stand in his personal protection on Thursday, January 29, and advised jurors he liked his spouse and was blissful in his marriage, despite the fact that he was having an affair together with his household’s au pair.
Brendan Banfield40, took to the witness stand in a Fairfax courtroom and admitted he began dishonest on his late spouse, Christine Banfieldwho was 37 when she was murdered in February 2023. However he went on to explain his love affair with Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhãesnow 25, as informal.
Brendan, who previously labored as an IRS agent, started having an affair with Peres Magalhães in August 2022, after she began working for him and his spouse in late 2021.
Banfield testified that it was Peres Magalhães who initiated the affair, one evening whereas his spouse was out of city. He advised the court docket the youthful lady adopted him into his bed room, and that he did nothing to cease her advances.
Banfield denied he and his lover plotted to kill his spouse, as prosecutors insist. State investigators alleged the 2 of them lured BDSM fanatic Joe Ryan to the house with the promise of tough intercourse and shot him to demise. Christine was then stabbed to demise, and the crime scene was allegedly staged in order that it appeared Ryan attacked Banfield’s spouse — and that he rushed in and shot Ryan to cease him.
A Virginia man accused of killing his spouse and one other man throughout an affair together with his household’s au pair is on trial for homicide. Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated homicide within the deadly stabbing of his spouse, Christine Banfield, and the taking pictures of Joseph Ryan at his residence in Herndon, Virginia in February 2023, (…)
“I feel that it’s an absurd line of questioning for one thing that’s not critical, {that a} plan was made to eliminate my spouse,” he testified when requested in regards to the state’s concept. “That’s completely loopy.”
Banfield mentioned February 24, 2023, the day of the killings, he went to the upstairs bed room as a result of he heard moans and located his spouse with Ryan. “Brendan, he has a knife,” Banfield mentioned his spouse shouted.
Banfield ordered Ryan to drop the knife, he testified. However Ryan “mentioned that she was his, and that, ‘She gave herself to me,’” Banfield testified. “And Christine form of yelled, moaned. I didn’t need to shoot him. I wished him to let her go.”
Banfield mentioned he was tending to his spouse’s stabbing accidents when Peres Magalhães shot Ryan.
“I used to be surprised,” he testified.
Banfield is dealing with life in jail if convicted on the 4 aggravated homicide counts he’s charged with.
Peres Magalhães pleaded responsible to manslaughter in October 2024 in reference to Ryan’s killing. Earlier this month, Peres Magalhães offered testimony as a state’s witness.
Peres Magalhães testified she and Banfield created an account in Christine’s identify on a fetish relationship app. Ryan linked with the pretend account, and prosecutors allege plans had been made to fulfill for a sexual encounter. Ryan was advised to carry a knife.
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She testified Banfield wished the mom of his solely youngster lifeless so they might stick with it with their love affair. She mentioned the plan was fine-tuned over months.
However on the stand Thursday, Banfield testified “there was no plan,” and famous he and his spouse cheated on one another typically.
Banfield’s legal professional, John Carrollidentified inconsistencies within the au pair’s testimony, and questioned her motives, noting how she’s met with a true-crime writer and Netflix producers to revenue from the expertise.
Requested if he liked his spouse, Banfield advised his lawyer, “Very a lot,” he mentioned. Did he need to proceed being married to Christine? “Sure,” Banfield testified.
Closing arguments are anticipated to be delivered Friday, January 30.