Virginia husband indicted in murder of wife and man as couple’s au pair faces trial

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A husband has been indicted for murder, 19 months after police found his wife stabbed to death and another man shot dead inside the couple’s suburban home in Herndon, Virginia.

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced on Monday that Brandon Banfield, 39, had been arrested for the February 2023 murders of Christine Banfield, 37, and Joseph Ryan, 39.

His arrest comes 11 months after the couple’s au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 23, was also arrested and charged in the case.

Back on February 24 2023, officers responded to a 911 call from a woman claiming her friend was hurt, according to a police press release.

Police said a man came on the line and told the operator he had shot an unknown man who had entered his home and stabbed a woman.

Upon arrival at the home, officers found an “appalling” scene, police said.

Banfield was found in an upstairs bedroom suffering from stab wounds to her upper body while Ryan was discovered nearby with a gunshot wound to his upper body.

Banfield was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead, while Ryan was declared dead at the scene.

Investigators believe Magalhaes made the 911 call, NBC News reported.

In October, Magalhaes was charged with second degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. She is being held at the Adult Detention Center with no bond and is set to stand trial in November.

Descano told reporters on Monday that a grand jury has now handed down the indictment against Banfield, saying that new evidence was “instrumental” in securing the charges.

Banfield had mostly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when prosecutors questioned him at a court hearing earlier this year, according to NBC Washington.

Descano and Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis have not revealed Ryan’s connection to the couple.

The Independent has contacted the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s office for further details.