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A Fairfax County judge sentenced Brendan Banfield to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his wife and another man as part of a scheme tied to his affair with the family’s au pair.
Banfield was convicted in February of two counts of aggravated murder in the February 2023 deaths of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.
Before sentencing, defense attorneys sought to overturn the convictions, arguing Thursday that prosecutors made three errors that influenced the jury. Judge Penney Azcarate rejected the request, clearing the way for the sentencing hearing.
At trial, former au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães testified that she conspired with Banfield to kill Christine Banfield and Ryan. Her testimony supported prosecutors’ case that the pair devised an elaborate plan to lure Ryan to the Banfield home, kill Christine and place the blame on someone else.
The jury also found Banfield guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and child endangerment. His 4-year-old child was inside the home when the killings occurred.
In February, Azcarate sentenced Magalhães to 10 years in prison, the maximum penalty for manslaughter. The punishment differed from the sentence recommended by prosecutors and her attorney under a plea agreement.