Brendan Banfield is accused of conspiring with his family’s au pair, with whom he had an affair, to kill his wife and blame it on a stranger.
Jury out in Brendan Banfield case. Discussions are ongoing and a verdict is awaited as per latest updates. Jurors began deliberating Friday if a former IRS law-enforcement official conspired with the family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he had an affair, to kill his wife and blame it on a stranger.
Brendan Banfield, a former IRS officer, was charged in February 2023 with aggravated manslaughter and the use of a firearm in the deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and a stranger, Joseph Ryan. (X/@imadriienne)Banfield, a former IRS officer, was charged in February 2023 with aggravated manslaughter and firearm charges in the deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and a stranger, Joseph Ryan. The trial is ongoing in Fairfax County, Virginia.
The Brendan Banfield trial: 5 things to knowThe jury deliberations came after weeks of testimony from key witnesses, including Banfield’s ex-mistress Juliana Magalhaes. The trial officially began on January 13, 2026. John Carroll, the defense attorney, told jurors that Banfield acted in self-defense after his wife was attacked by Ryan in the master bedroom of their home in Herndon. According to Carroll, prosecutors rushed to judgment, ignored conflicting evidence and used ex-mistresses to testify against the accused.Prosecutors, meanwhile, said Banfield deliberately and deliberately tried to kill Christine and Ryan, with the latter acting as a fall guy, so he could start his new life with Magalhayes. Jenna Sands, the prosecutor in the case, said in her closing arguments that the ex-mistress’ testimony matched the physical evidence. According to Fox 5, jurors must weigh charges including aggravated murder, firearms offenses and child abuse and child cruelty before announcing their verdict. If convicted of the most serious charges, Banfield could face life in prison without parole, as Virginia abolished the death penalty in 2021. Magalhães, who was also charged with murder, pleaded to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2024.
Subhrajit has covered entertainment, US and India news in his time as a digital journalist, working on trending and long-form immersive content. When off work, he’s usually scrolling through Doom, watching something or debating online.Read more
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