WATCH LIVE: Brendan Banfield takes the stand in 鈥榓u pair affair鈥� murders trial
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) 鈥� A man testified on Wednesday that he loved his wife and did not want to end his marriage, despite having an affair with his family’s au pair in what would become a sprawling double homicide case centered around the two of them.
Wearing a gray suit and a plaid tie, Brendan Banfield testified in a Fairfax, Virginia, court under oath about what happened the day he began cheating on his late wife, Christine Banfield, with Juliana Peres Magalh茫es in what he said was a casual affair. He described Magalh茫es scooting her chair closer to his while eating dinner one night, while his wife was out of town. He testified that she followed him into his room at bedtime, and he didn’t stop her.
But Banfield testified he and Magalh茫es did not plot to kill his wife and another man in the months that followed, despite what .
鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious, that a plan was made to get rid of my wife,鈥� he testified. 鈥淭hat is absolutely crazy.鈥�
Banfield is charged with in the killings of his wife and Joe Ryan. His testimony will be a key piece of evidence that a northern Virginia jury will be tasked with weighing this month. Banfield, who has pleaded not guilty, could face life in prison if convicted by his peers.
Prosecutors say Banfield and Magalh茫es lured Ryan to their house. According to officials, the two then shot him, and Banfield stabbed his wife, staging the scene to look as though Ryan had been a predator stabbing Christine Banfield.
One of the witnesses who corroborates prosecutors鈥� theory is Magalh茫es herself.
Earlier in January, Magalh茫es testified that she and Banfield had created an account in Christine Banfield鈥檚 name on a social media platform for people interested in sexual fetishes. There, Ryan connected with the account, and the users made plans to meet for a sexual encounter involving a knife.
She testified to Banfield鈥檚 plan to and live his life with Magalh茫es after they began their affair, plotting for months their ruse.
Banfield testified that the au pair鈥檚 omission to officials was a lie, saying 鈥渢here was no plan.鈥� He also said that both he and his wife had affairs throughout the course of their 19-year relationship, but decided through couples therapy to continue their marriage.
His testimony comes as John Carroll, Banfield鈥檚 attorney, spent much of the trial scrutinizing Magalh茫es’ motives in the case. The former au pair was initially charged with second-degree murder in Ryan鈥檚 killing, but has since pleaded guilty to a downgraded .
For instance, Magalh茫es didn’t remember who created the email address connected to the social media account and where she and Brendan Banfield were on the day it had been procured. She testified that she did not remember who wrote what messages to Ryan. And she admitted under oath to negotiating with a true-crime author and producers to share her story for money.
On the stand, Banfield spoke of his relationship with his wife, describing them as inseparable despite the affair. 鈥淲e were together the entire time. We didn鈥檛 break up at any point,鈥� Banfield said.
鈥淒id you love your wife?鈥� Carroll asked at one point.
鈥淰ery much,鈥� he said.
鈥淒id you want to continue your marriage with your wife?鈥� his attorney said.
鈥渊别蝉.鈥�
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Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse 海角社区app Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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