Brendan Banfield murder trial: Closing arguments expected Friday in au pair affair case

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - The defense rested its case Thursday after a second day of testimony from Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law‑enforcement officer turned defendant who prosecutors say had an affair with his family’s au pair and took part in a double‑murder plot to frame another man for his wife’s stabbing.

Brendan Banfield murder trial: Closing arguments expected Friday

The defense rested its case Thursday after a second day of testimony from Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law‑enforcement officer turned defendant who prosecutors say had an affair with his family’s au pair and took part in a double‑murder plot to frame another man for his wife’s stabbing.

What we know:

It was an emotional day Thursday in the Fairfax County courtroom for both Banfield’s parents and the parents of his late wife, Christine, as Banfield described her final moments and claimed she was involved in violent sexual encounters.

"I don’t know that I’ve ever been more panicked in my life," Banfield testified according to the Associated Press. "I was hoping to de-escalate the situation. I did not want to shoot him. I wanted him to let her go."

READ MORE: Brendan Banfield takes stand again Thursday; testified he did not plot wife’s killing

According to FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick, Banfield testified that he didn’t call 911 on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023, after receiving a message from Juliana Peres Magalhães, the family’s au pair, warning that a man was breaking into the house. He said he assumed Christine was having another affair. He also said he didn’t call 911 after shooting Joseph Ryan, telling jurors he was focused on applying pressure to his wife’s neck to stop the bleeding and didn’t know Magalhães had retrieved a second gun from the safe.

Brendan Banfield murder trial: Closing arguments expected Friday in au pair affair case

A day earlier, Banfield had downplayed his relationship with Magalhães, calling it casual. But prosecutors presented letters he wrote to her while she was in jail, professing his love and discussing potential baby names for their future children.

READ MORE: Brendan Banfield denies murder plot plan with au pair

Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna Sands pressed Banfield on why he was only now offering his full account after sitting through the trial and hearing all the prosecution’s evidence.

Dig deeper:

Prosecutors have said Banfield and Magalhães lured Ryan to the home, shot him, and that Banfield then stabbed his wife while staging the scene to make it appear Ryan had attacked Christine Banfield.

Earlier this month, Magalhães testified that she and Banfield created a social‑media account in Christine’s name on a fetish platform, where Ryan connected with them and arranged a sexual encounter involving a knife.

READ MORE: Banfield back in court, expected to take stand as new body‑cam video emerges

She told jurors that Banfield planned to kill his wife and start a new life with her, saying the two plotted for months after beginning their affair.

Banfield testified that the au pair’s account was a lie. He also said he and his wife had affairs during their 19‑year marriage but chose to stay together after couples therapy.

Juliana Peres Magalhães

What's next:

Both Magalhães and Banfield were arrested between 2023 and 2024 and initially charged with murder. In 2024, Magalhães pleaded guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge. Banfield has pleaded not guilty and faces a possible life sentence if convicted.

Closing arguments are expected Friday, and the jury could begin deliberating by Friday evening.