Prosecutors lay out case in Banfield double murder trial

- Prosecutors in Virginia are laying out their case against Brendan Banfield, the man accused of plotting with his family’s au pair to murder his wife and frame another man.

(CNN)- Prosecutors in Virginia are laying out their case against Brendan Banfield, the man accused of plotting with his family’s au pair to murder his wife and frame another man.

“Brendan Banfield killed his wife, Christine Banfield, and another man named Joseph Ryan,” prosecutor Jenna Sands told the jury.

According to prosecutors, Banfield was having an affair with the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. They say the two worked together to lure Ryan into the Banfield home under the guise of a sexual role-play fantasy.

“He mentioned his plan to get rid of her,” Peres Magalhães testified.

Prosecutors say the pair used Christine Banfield’s email accounts to create a fake profile to attract someone interested in kinky sex. The plan allegedly included trips to a gun range, fake 911 calls, and a staged BDSM scenario.

“They would get this guy to come into the house and fake rape Christine,” Sands said.

In February 2023, prosecutors say Joseph Ryan arrived at the home after being tricked into believing Christine had invited him. They allege Banfield then carried out the attack.

“Brendan would be the hero of the day. He would show up, kill the guy, kill his wife, pretending that it had been that guy,” Sands said.

Prosecutors say Banfield shot Ryan in the head and then stabbed his wife.

“I was able to see him stabbing her,” Peres Magalhães testified.

However, Banfield’s defense attorney argues the prosecution’s case relies heavily on Peres Magalhães’ testimony, claiming she was pressured to testify in exchange for a lighter sentence.