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FAIRFAX, Va. (CN) — Accused in the killings of his wife and another man, Brendan Banfield Wednesday took the witness stand in his own defense, deriding prosecutors’ charges that he concocted an elaborate double murder as “absolutely crazy.”
Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the Feb. 24, 2023, killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and Joseph Ryan, 39. He also faces child abuse charges, as his then 4-year-old daughter was at home during the incident.
His trial has stretched over two-and-a-half weeks, interrupted for two days by a regional snowstorm. Prosecutors contend that Banfield and the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, 25, were having an extramarital affair and Banfield wanted to get rid of his wife. In their theory of events, prosecutors say the two started an account on a fetish website to lure an unsuspecting man — Ryan—into the Banfield home. In order to accomplish this, they used Christine’s laptop and cellphone and posed as her, according to Magalhães, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified for the prosecution.
After making contact with Ryan, they invited him for a rape fantasy in which he was to bring a knife. The goal, according to the au pair’s testimony, was to create an alibi for the murder of Christine Banfield.
But on the witness stand, Banfield said there was no such plan, and he never took his wife’s laptop.
“I have no reason to use her laptop. I don’t have access to her laptop. It’s not a password that I know. I have my own work laptop. I have my own home desktop. Actually, I have two cellphones: a personal cell phone and a work phone. Our devices were completely separate,” he said. He added that he’d never seen Magalhães take Christine Banfield’s computer or laptop either.
On the morning of the murder, he said he left for work and stopped at a McDonalds for breakfast.
John F. Carroll, Banfield’s attorney, asked if he and Magalhães had a plan for that morning.
No, Banfield said. As far as he knew, Magalhães was going to the zoo with his daughter.
Banfield has maintained his innocence. He contends that he was summoned to the house after Magalhães saw Ryan enter, and then confronted Ryan, who stabbed Christine. In court filings, Banfield argues that he then shot Ryan and attempted to aid his wife.
As told by Magalhães, Banfield shot Ryan and used Ryan’s knife to stab Christine. Magalhães said she also shot Ryan, who had continued to move on the floor.
During his testimony, Banfield described the relationship with his wife as a happy one. Banfield met Christine Banfield in college. The two were together for more than 19 years. But he also admitted that he and the au pair were having an affair that began when he and Magalhães were home alone. During a conversation, she scooted her chair closer to him. “I did not stop her advances,” he said.
She began describing men who interested her. “She was basically describing me.” When he went upstairs to bed, she followed.
He had previously had affairs, he said. His wife also had affairs. Still, he said he loved his wife and daughter.
“For the most part, we were pretty inseparable,” he said.
Banfield’s testimony continues Thursday.
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