Husband Denies Murder Plot Despite Affair With Au Pair in Double-Homicide Trial

Brendan Banfield testified Wednesday in a Fairfax, Virginia, courtroom that he loved his wife and never intended to end their marriage — despite admitting to an affair with the family's former au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. The testimony came as prosecutors accuse Banfield and Magalhães of staging a double homicide that left his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joe Ryan dead.

Dressed in a gray suit and plaid tie, Banfield described under oath the night the affair began, saying Magalhães moved her chair closer during dinner while his wife was out of town and later followed him into his bedroom. He said the relationship that followed was casual and that he did not plan a murder.

Prosecutors' Case

Prosecutors allege that Banfield and Magalhães lured Joe Ryan to the home using a fake social-media account created in Christine Banfield's name on a fetish-focused platform. According to the prosecution, Ryan was shot at the house, and Christine Banfield was stabbed; officials say the scene was staged to make it appear Ryan had attacked her.

Magalhães has testified for the prosecution. In January she said she and Banfield created the account, arranged a meeting with Ryan that involved a knife, and spent months planning a ruse. She testified that she crouched behind the bed, covering her eyes and ears, while Banfield repeatedly stabbed his wife, according to reports from CBS affiliate WUSA-TV.

Defense and Credibility Questions

Banfield forcefully denied any conspiracy. On the stand he called suggestions of a planned murder "absolutely crazy," saying, "There was no plan." He also acknowledged that both he and his wife had extramarital relationships during their 19-year marriage but said the couple remained together and pursued therapy.

Juliana Peres Magalhães testifies during the double murder trial for Brendan Banfield in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. / Credit: Tom Brenner / AP

Defense attorney John Carroll has worked to undermine Magalhães' credibility, highlighting inconsistencies in her testimony. Magalhães told jurors she could not recall who created the email address tied to the account, where she and Banfield were when the account was set up, or who wrote particular messages. She also admitted negotiating with a true-crime author and producers to sell her story, and she later pleaded guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge after initially facing second-degree murder charges in Ryan's death.

Additional Evidence Presented

At an April 2024 hearing, prosecutors introduced records showing that Banfield and Magalhães visited the Silver Eagle Group Shooting Range two months before the killings. A few weeks later, Banfield purchased a firearm that prosecutors say was used to shoot Ryan, Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Clingan told the court.

Banfield appeared emotional at times, reportedly crying while listening to the 911 call from the night his wife was killed. He faces aggravated murder charges in the deaths of Christine Banfield and Joe Ryan and has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Victim Impact

Before the trial, Deirdre Fisher, Ryan's mother, told WUSA-TV that her son had discussed consensual role play with her but was not violent. Fisher said she remembers the moment she learned of his death and described the anguish of receiving the detective's call: "I remember when I got the call from the detective … I could hear my own voice screaming."

"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 trial continues as the jury weighs conflicting accounts from the defendant and a key witness who pleaded to a lesser charge. The outcome will hinge on credibility assessments and forensic and documentary evidence presented by both sides.