Man, au pair charged in double murder of wife, man months apart

(NEW YORK) — A grand jury has indicted 39-year-old Brendan Banfield in the stabbing death of his wife and murder of another man in the couple’s bedroom 19 months after the killing, according to Virginia’s Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.

Banfield is accused of fatally stabbing 37-year-old Christine Banfield and shooting Joseph Ryan, 38, in February 2023.

Banfield’s charging in the case comes months after the family’s 24-year-old live-in au pair was charged in the case.

“We know Brendan Banfield and Juliana Magalhaes, the family au pair, were involved in a romantic relationship at the time of the murders,” Fairfax Police Chief Kevin Davis said at a press conference Monday.

Banfield was indicted on four charges of aggravated murder and one charge for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is accused of the premeditated murder of the two.

If convicted, he could face a life sentence without the possibility of parole. For the firearm charge, he could face a mandatory minimum of three years.

“The great investigative work of the Fairfax County Police Department led us to new information which was instrumental in securing today’s indictment,” Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said during the press conference.

Investigators would not reveal what new information led to Monday’s arrest.

ABC News has reached out to an attorney for Brendan Banfield for comment.

The Banfield couple were married and living in their family home with their then-4-year-old daughter at the time of the murders.

Police responded to a 911 call from the home on Feb. 24, 2023, and found Ryan dead in an upstairs bedroom as a result of gunshot wounds. Christine Banfield was stabbed.

She was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to police.

Police said they recovered two firearms and a knife from the home at the time of the murder.

Police also carried out another search warrant at Banfield’s house on Monday.

Magalhaes has been in custody since her arrest, according to police. Her trial is scheduled to begin in November.

The two are being held in the same adult detention center, according to Descano.

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