Additional Coverage:
- Virginia husband indicted in killing of his wife and another man nearly 1 year after au pair is charged (nbcnews.com)
Virginia Man Indicted in Double Murder
A man from Virginia has been indicted for the murders of his wife and another individual that occurred last year.
Brendan Banfield, 39, faces charges of aggravated murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. The victims, Christine Banfield, 37, and Joseph Ryan, 39, were found deceased in their home on February 24, 2023.
Banfield was arrested without incident and is currently being held. It is unclear whether he has retained legal counsel.
New evidence led to the indictment, but the details have not been released.
The couple’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, was previously charged with Ryan’s murder. Her trial is scheduled for November.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings or Ryan’s relationship to the family.
The murder scene was described as "appalling," with Christine Banfield stabbed to death in an upstairs bedroom and Ryan shot nearby.
Magalhaes initially reported the incident to 911, claiming a friend had been injured. Brendan Banfield later took the phone and stated an unknown male had entered the home and shot them.
Banfield later invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a court hearing.