Virginia prosecutor in ‘au pair’ affair case served summons for drinking in public: police

HERNDON, Va. - Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Clingan, the lead prosecutor in a Virginia double-murder case involving a Brazilian au pair, was served a summons for drinking alcohol in public, according to Fairfax County police.

Prosecutor cited

The incident was reported around 8 a.m. on August 8 in a parking lot on the 5000 block of Westfield Boulevard in Centreville. A caller told police a man was drinking outside his vehicle. Officers arrived and identified the man as Clingan, 57, who was issued a summons for public drinking.

READ MORE: Virginia au pair affair murder: Alleged plot and latest court details

Clingan is the lead prosecutor in the case involving Brendan Banfield, who was indicted last year on charges of aggravated murder in the February 2023 deaths of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joe Ryan, a man who was invited to the house that day.

 

Murder case unfolding

Authorities say the family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, who had a romantic relationship with Banfield, was initially charged with second-degree murder. Both claimed they walked in on Ryan attacking Christine and shot him with separate weapons.

Magalhães later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in what prosecutors described as a scheme to frame Ryan for Christine’s stabbing.