McLean, Virginia – A former IRS law enforcement officer was found guilty Monday of murdering his wife and another man in a case prosecutors described as a calculated plot involving deception, an illicit affair, and an attempted cover-up. A jury convicted Brendan Banfield in the February 24, 2023 killing of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joseph Ryan, a man authorities say was lured to the family home to serve as a scapegoat.
Banfield told investigators he discovered Ryan attacking his wife with a knife and shot him in self-defense, claiming the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Magalhães, also fired at Ryan. Prosecutors argued the account unraveled under scrutiny, pointing to evidence that Banfield and Magalhães had been engaged in an affair and orchestrated the encounter to make the killings appear justified.
Magalhães, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024, testified that she and Banfield impersonated Christine Banfield online on a fetish website to lure Ryan to the house for a staged sexual encounter involving a knife. Prosecutors said the scene was arranged to resemble a home invasion. Forensic experts testified that blood patterns on Ryan’s hands were inconsistent with Banfield’s account and suggested manipulation of the crime scene.
Defense attorneys attacked Magalhães’ credibility, noting her cooperation with prosecutors and internal disagreements within the police department over aspects of the investigation. After nearly nine hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts. Banfield faces a potential life sentence at sentencing.
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