The Virginia husband entangled in a weird love triangle along with his spouse and their Brazilian au pair has been charged with the murders of his spouse and a “fetish-seeking” man contained in the couple’s mansion in an elaborate scheme.
Brendan Banfield is accused of fatally stabbing his spouse, Christine Banfield, 37, and taking pictures Joseph Ryan, 38, in the course of the early morning love-triangle double slaying on Feb. 24, 2024.
The Banfields had been married and residing within the dwelling with their au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, and their then 4-year-old daughter on the time of the murders.
The 39-year-old IRS investigator and Magalhaes allegedly shot Ryan who had been summoned to the couple’s million-dollar Herndon dwelling via a sexual fetish on-line web site.
Magalhaes, then-23, instructed investigators that she and Banfield had walked in on Ryan attacking a unadorned Christine Banfield as her employer shot on the “intruder.” She is accused of taking the deadly shot.
When police arrived on the mansion, they discovered Ryan lifeless from a gunshot wound, whereas Christine Banfield was affected by stab wounds.
She was transported to a neighborhood hospital the place she was pronounced lifeless.
Magalhaes is claiming self-defense. However prosecutors allege that your complete episode was a ruse orchestrated by Magalhaes to do away with Christine.
They preserve the idea that Ryan was a dupe lured into the sordid plot.
Prosecutors have beforehand revealed that Ryan had made plans to indicate up on the dwelling with a person who glided by the identify Annastasia9 on the web sexual courting web site “Fetlife.”
The profile pictured a petite lady in a one-piece bathing swimsuit, in line with the Washington Submit.
Investigators stated there was no proof to counsel Christine Banfield ever created the profile or knew about its existence, however haven’t revealed who made it.
Fairfax Police arrested Brendan Banfield on Monday on the dwelling the place the murders occurred after a grand jury indicted him on 4 costs of aggravated homicide and one cost of utilizing a firearm within the fee of a felony.
He’s accused of the premeditated homicide of the 2 victims.
The grand jury indictment comes after a 19-month investigation and the outcomes of latest info obtained by detectives, in line with Commonwealth Legal professional Steve Descano.
“Early last year, a double murder devastated two families and shocked our entire community,” Descano stated throughout a press convention. “I will ensure that my office puts forward the strongest case possible at trial, and that we continue to seek justice for the victims and their families.”
Magalhaes was arrested in Oct. 2023 and charged with murdering Ryan however nobody was charged in Christine’s loss of life till Monday.
Each suspected murders are being held on the Fairfax County Grownup Detention Middle, Banfield is anticipated to be arraigned later within the week.
In an electronic mail to her mother, Magalhaes complained about her life in jail.
“I am tired of this place, this situation,” Juliana Peres Magalhaes wrote in a latest e-mail to her mother from Fairfax County Jail, in line with the Washington Submit.
“I am unhappy, and nothing makes me happy,” she stated within the June e-mail. “I just want to get out of here and go back home to be with you guys. We will be together soon, with God’s grace, mommy.”
“On Feb. 24, 2023, I stood in the middle of a cul-de-sac street in Fairfax County and described the deaths of two persons inside a residential home,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis stated Monday. “Now 570 days later we know the deaths of Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield are both in fact murders.”
Officers, who stated Banfield and Magalhaes had been concerned in a “sexual relationship,” didn’t launch Ryan’s reference to the household citing the continued investigation.
“This much is clear, we have evidence to now allege that Christine Banfield’s life was unlawfully taken and Joseph Ryan’s life was unlawfully taken,” the police chief added.
In April throughout a preliminary listening to it was revealed that the Magalhaes and Banfield, who continued their relationship following the deaths, went to a taking pictures vary weeks earlier than the murders.
On the time of her arrest, Magalhaes had moved her belongings into the principle bed room, as her garments had been hanging within the closet the place Christine’s as soon as hung and a framed image of her and Banfield sat on a nightstand, in line with the outlet.
Prosecutors offered enterprise information to again up the declare and stated Brendan Banfield purchased a Glock from the vary on Jan. 28, 2023, WTOP reported.
