A man charged with killing his wife and another man testifying in his case about his relationship with his family's au pair in the months before the killings.
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Next photo Brendan Banfield looks on during his double murder trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. Brendan Banfield testifies during his double murder trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. Juliana Peres Magalhes testifies during the double murder trial for Brendan Banfield in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. Juliana Peres Magalhes is escorted into the courtroom before continuing her testimony, during the double murder trial for Brendan Banfield in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. Brendan Banfield looks on during his double murder trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. – A man testified on Wednesday that he loved his wife and did not want to end his marriage, despite having an affair with his family's au pair in what would become a sprawling double homicide case centered around the two of them. Wearing a gray suit and a plaid tie, Brendan Banfield testified in a Fairfax, Virginia, court under oath about what happened the day he began cheating on his late wife, Christine Banfield, with Juliana Peres Magalhães in what he said was a casual affair. He described Magalhães scooting her chair closer to his while eating dinner one night, while his wife was out of town. He testified that she followed him into his room at bedtime, and he didn't stop her.But Banfield testified he and Magalhães did not plot to kill his wife and another man in the months that followed, despite what “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,” he testified. “That is absolutely crazy.”in the killings of his wife and Joe Ryan. His testimony will be a key piece of evidence that a northern Virginia jury will be tasked with weighing this month. Banfield, who has pleaded not guilty, could face life in prison if convicted by his peers. Prosecutors say Banfield and Magalhães lured Ryan to their house. According to officials, the two then shot him, and Banfield stabbed his wife, staging the scene to look as though Ryan had been a predator stabbing Christine Banfield.Earlier in January, Magalhães testified that she and Banfield had created an account in Christine Banfield’s name on a social media platform for people interested in sexual fetishes. There, Ryan connected with the account, and the users made plans to meet for a sexual encounter involving a knife.Banfield testified that the au pair’s omission to officials was a lie, saying “there was no plan.” He also said that both he and his wife had affairs throughout the course of their 19-year relationship, but decided through couples therapy to continue their marriage. His testimony comes as John Carroll, Banfield’s attorney, spent much of the trial scrutinizing Magalhães' motives in the case. The former au pair was initially charged with second-degree murder in Ryan’s killing, but has since pleaded guilty to a downgraded For instance, Magalhães didn't remember who created the email address connected to the social media account and where she and Brendan Banfield were on the day it had been procured. She testified that she did not remember who wrote what messages to Ryan. And she admitted under oath to negotiating with a true-crime author and producers to share her story for money. On the stand, Banfield spoke of his relationship with his wife, describing them as inseparable despite the affair. “We were together the entire time. We didn’t break up at any point,” Banfield said.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Man’s body ‘accidentally’ found by Pct. 3 deputies during arrest warrant at east Harris County motel'People who look like me should not be people of suspicion': ICE protest at Houston Council meetingTxDOT begins Alabama Street bridge demolition near downtown HoustonHouston ISD students face freezing classrooms after HVAC problemsCatch up on today’s top headlinesDeputy accidentally shot in hand by 3-year-old nephew who accessed duty gun in Spring homeHouston officers outside offices of Arnold & Itkin after deadly jet crashBuc-ee’s T-Shirt Frozen Solid in Just 15 Minutes
Joe Ryan John Carroll Brendan Banfield Juliana Peres Magalhães Christine Banfield
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