A grand jury has indicted 39-year-old Brendan Banfield for the stabbing death of his wife and the murder of another man in their bedroom, nearly 19 months after the killings, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office in Virginia.
Banfield faces charges for the February 2023 deaths of his wife, 37-year-old Christine Banfield, who was fatally stabbed, and Joseph Ryan, 38, who was shot.
Banfield’s indictment comes months after the family’s 24-year-old live-in au pair, Juliana Magalhaes, was also charged in connection with the case.
“We know that Brendan Banfield and Juliana Magalhaes, the family au pair, were in a romantic relationship at the time of the murders,” said Fairfax Police Chief Kevin Davis during a press conference on Monday.
Banfield has been indicted on four counts of aggravated murder and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is accused of premeditated murder, and if convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum of three years. Banfield is currently being held without bail.
“The diligent work of the Fairfax County Police Department led us to critical new information that resulted in today’s indictment,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano stated during the press conference.
However, investigators have not disclosed the specifics of the new evidence that led to Banfield’s arrest.
At the time of the murders, Brendan and Christine Banfield were married and living with their then-4-year-old daughter in their family home.
Police responded to a 911 call from the residence on February 24, 2023, and found Joseph Ryan dead in an upstairs bedroom from gunshot wounds. Christine Banfield, who had been stabbed, was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities recovered two firearms and a knife from the scene.On Monday, police conducted another search of Banfield’s home.
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Magalhaes has been in custody since her arrest and is scheduled to stand trial in November. Both she and Banfield are being held at the same adult detention center, according to Descano.
