A husband, an au pair, an affair and a murder: Inside the Brendan Banfield case gripping the nation
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A chilling 911 call. A secret affair. And a murder trial now dominating headlines across America.
This week on The Trial: USA, we break down the latest developments in the murder case against Brendan Banfield, accused of killing his wife and staging an elaborate cover-up with the family’s former nanny - who testified in court this week for the first time.
Host Kayla Brantley is joined by Rachel Sharp, the Daily Mail’s chief crime correspondent, to unpack what the jury has heard so far, the prosecution’s theory, the defense’s strategy, and what could decide the outcome of this trial.
Banfield, 39, is on trial for the February 2023 killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, at his home in northern Virginia.
He allegedly stabbed Christine, 37, to death in their bed as part of a twisted plot to be with his 25-year-old Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães.
A fake sex profile was created behind Christine's back claiming she wanted to experience a rape fantasy. Ryan responded and was also killed by Banfield as part of an elaborate scheme to be with Magalhães, prosecutors say.
Brendan Banfield (right) moved his 25-year-old Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães (left) into his marital bed sometime in the eight months after the pair killed his wife, jurors heard
Magalhães was sleeping in the bed Christine had shared with her husband eight months after the murders, Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told Banfield's trial on Thursday.
Fortner first entered the residence in February 2023 as part of the investigation into the murders and photographed the home, including both the primary and Magalhães's bedrooms, Fox News reported.
When he visited the home again eight months later, 'red, lingerie-style clothing items' and a yellow t-shirt with green trim that had previously hung in the au pair's closet had been moved to the master bedroom, he testified.
'They had gotten new flooring, new bedroom furniture,' Fortner said, noting how photographs that once featured the Banfields had been 'taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together.'
Christine Banfield was found stabbed to death in her bedroom on February 24, 2023
Nanny Juliana Peres Magalhães, 25, testified on Tuesday in Fairfax County court explaining the reasoning behind Brendan Banfield's alleged twisted plot 'to get rid of her (his wife)'
Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the killings Christine and Ryan, 39. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.
Earlier this week, Magalhães testified that Banfield did not feel he could just leave his wife and that they hatched a plan to 'get rid' of Christine so they could be together.
The nanny claimed Banfield told her that he couldn't split from his wife because she would end up having more money than he would, in addition to not being good for their child.
'Money was involved,' Magalhães said Tuesday in Fairfax County Court. She added that Banfield had no plans to share custody of his young daughter with Christine.
Magalhães shared how she and Banfield lured Ryan to the house using a BDSM site. The two then shot him, staging the scene to look as if Ryan had been a predator stabbing Banfield.
