Brendan Banfield Guilty Of Catfishing Plot To Kill His Wife

The murder trial of Brendan Banfield reached a conclusion on Monday, and he was found guilty of murdering his wife, Christine. The trial in Virginia gripped true crime enthusiasts as it brought claims of secret affairs, fake social media profiles, and a “catfishing” plot. And no, he wasn’t in a movie or a soapy. Brendan was a former IRS agent.

Nine Hours Of Jury Deliberation

Clearly, the jury didn’t buy Brendan’s story that he simply defended Christine from a random attacker named Joseph Ryan. If you don’t know, Ryan was shot dead. According to CBS News, Brendan “shifted slightly and showed little emotion on Monday as the verdict was read in court.”

The news outlet also noted that the jury didn’t instantly find him guilty, and it took them about nine hours in total to decide on his guilt. So, the outcome was that Banfield “set Ryan up in a scheme to get rid of his wife.”

Complex Case For Love?

Naturally, it’s a big win for the prosecution team who accused him of setting up a bizarre and complex way to get rid of Christine and blamed someone else for it. Notably, it seemed that he killed Christine so he could take their au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, as a lover.

Back in February 2023, Brendan Banfield told the police he walked in on Joseph Ryan attacking his wife, Christine, with a knife. Next, he claimed that Ryan was shot by him in self-defense. Actually, it might have even been believable but for the au pair giving evidence against him.

The Au Pair

In her testimony, Juliana Peres Magalhães described an elaborate scheme to set up the scene. According to her, she and Brendan created a fake account on a social media app. Ryan responded and went inside ther home. It’s certainly not clear what Christine thought about that? If the au pair’s story was to be believed that Brendan set up the contact, folks might have wondered why Christine let him in.

Notwithstanding those sort of late questions, the case rolled on with Brendan claiming his innocence. Plus, his defense pushed hard against the au pair’s evidence. They didn’t believe her, and claimed she only made up the story to try and avoid a long prison sentence: not to mention an alleged potential book deal.

Hard Evidence

While much of the evidence seemed circumstantial, one damning piece of evidence included blood stains on Ryan’s hands which suggested the scene was manipulated after a struggle. Christine Banfield died from stabbing, but it seemed incorrect that Ryan killed her.

Brendan Banfield testified in court and claimed that the prosecution’s theory seemed “absolutely crazy.” Additionally, he talked about his wife being the love of his life, and getting rid of her was the furthest thing in his mind.

A Suspicious Timeline

A suspicious timeline included him buying the gun ahead of the murder, and he taught the au pair how to use it. Naturally, those facts gave the jury plenty to think about before their decision of guilty arrived.

Brendan Banfield now faces the probability of life without parole. True crime followers will find out the sentence on May 8. As for Magalhães, she’s set to hear her sentence soon, and with time served, she might even walk free.

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