Hey, that folks.
It is Tuesday, January the thirteenth, and a man had an affair with his Brazilian OD pair and then his wife ends up dead in a double murder premeditated sexual fantasy plot. And that trial gets underway today And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Roade. Did I kind of get close to getting it right?
Because this has so many cliches wrapped up in it And this is absolutely a true crime episode or a movie in the making.
Yes, if you want to look up sensational murder trial Exhibit A will be in a Virginia courtroom today starting at ten am. That is when opening statements are scheduled
to begin. Yes, for a Virginia man who is accused of conspiring with his Brazilian OH pair to murder his wife and a stranger that prosecutors say they lured to his home to make it look like some sexual fantasy gone bad, and he rushes in as the hero to save his wife, and it all unraveled because prosecutors say they figured out pretty quickly what happened with the help of the old pair.
So Brendan Banfield is the man's name, but you're The plot is that he's having an affair and he tries to kill his wife and have someone else take responsibility and take the fall for it, so then he could be with his Brazilian Oh pair.
How old was the pair?
He's forty, right, I don't know how old she was.
They're usually not mid fifties.
I'm taking in her twenties at the Yes, that's probably a safe bet.
Okay.
So we go back to twenty twenty three, I believe in February of when this all happened, and we set this up in that Brendan Banfield and his wife, Christine Banfield.
Did they have they had a kid or two?
Well, he had a four year old daughter who.
Was in the house at the time. That's all the charges, but that's not the big selling point here. But what we're talking about is Christine Banfield. They can you say the pair's name to me? I couldn't say.
It's a It's a Juliana Perez Magalhaes is how I would best. I'm not great at Portuguese, but Juliana Perez.
Macalas Magalas is what we're gonna go with for this.
Episode with Magals and then when we get to the trial and we hear her name pronounced differently, will adjust.
Okay, so the opening statements are actually going to start today in this trial. But as prosecutors describe, the setup here is that these two were involved in an affair, the man and the old pair, and they come up with this plan robes to kill the wife, but to make it look like some stranger did it.
Correct. So, according to the prosecutors.
The pair and Banfield created a fake pro file on a website called fetlife dot com and it's described as a BDSM and fantasy dating website. And according to prosecutors, the a Pair and Banfield pretended to be Christine, his wife, so they set up a fake profile pretending to be his wife. Then the pairs told prosecutors that she and Brendan logged onto Christine's work computer to use this fake account. They set up to solicit someone to fulfill a sexual fantasy.
So they find this guy who responds and they convince him to come to the home to carry out a rape fantasy involving a knife. This is the setup that they've created, so they raise.
It sounds this is the normal part already, it's crazy as it sounds actually nothing wrong has taken place. These websites are out there, your thing, knock yourselves out. But at this point, this is an unsuspecting guy who was signing up for whatever he's into.
Thirty nine year old Joseph Ryan.
He's like, all right, I'll come and fulfill your sexual fantasy of a rape with a knife.
They said that they got specific.
According to the pair, she actually got on the phone with him, so he heard a woman's voice. He felt confident that he was walking into a consensual situation. She said she wanted him to cut her clothes off, hold her at knife point, and simulate a rape. Basically, so the plan was and what ended up happening is when Joseph Ryan shows up to the house and starts to carry out the plan. Brendan Banfield and the Old Pair
then burst into the bedroom to save the day. But what actually happened is they claim that Banfield stabbed Christine with that knife and then shot Ryan, and then even the Old Pair admits she also shot Ryan for a final shot to make sure he was dead. That is what prosecutors say happen, and they say they have the a pair there to verify everything.
That happened as it happened.
So they were both charged, Brendan Banfield and the old pair initially, but she pleaded to lesser charges. The reason we have all the details, rope you just laid out, and the reason prosecutors know more about this story is because she turned essentially on Brendan Banfield. However, this is going to be a complicated case, and that there were until she turned.
They were flapping in the wind.
They didn't seem to really have a full understanding of what actually took place in that house.
Yeah, because I mean imagine that scene and Brendan is telling them, hey, guys, you know, look what happened. I walked in and I saw this man with a knife over my wife, and so I immediately shot him as he was stabbing my wife. So seemed like he thought he had the perfect murder plan.
Is he standing by? I know, obviously not guilty, but is he standing by? Is his defense going to be what?
Yes, the defense is going to be that the pair, for whatever reason, who knows what motivation they're going.
To give the pair trying to save her own.
Butt exactly, but they're going to claim that she made the whole thing up. Now he is facing two counts of aggravated murder, one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, account of felony child abuse and neglect, an account of felony child cruelty because his four year old was at the home at the time of these murders. And that's all important because that creates this situation needed for them to give aggravated murder charges.
When you have aggravated murder charges, you can seek the highest form of punishment possible, which could include the death penalty. So that's why these extra charges are important. And a murder case like this also, of note, the cameras are in the courtroom, and this is really rare in Virginia.
I was watching a local news reporter who said, the last time this happened was in twenty twenty two, and we will all remember actually the last time cameras were in a courtroom in Virginia, and that was for the amber heard Johnny Depp trial, which we.
Were pretty much all glued to.
And the reason why those two things might be connected here is the same judge who oversaw that case is overseeing this case case. And she said, hey, didn't see any problem with the transparency. The cameras worked well in that court case, so I'm going to allow them in this court case. And so that's why there's even more attention on this particular murder trial. It's already salatious enough, but to know that there are cameras in the courtroom is a big deal.
It's a big deal, and it gives everybody a chance to follow this case. And again it's we always have to be careful. I mean, is it's it's a tragedy. It's we say selatious. And already the headline you see with some are writing and being funny about the old pair and things like that. It's I know, it's become like, let's just be honest about it. Crime has become a
part of our entertainment unfortunately. But you have to remember the victims here in not just the dead, but including the child who was in that home, who was going to be without at least one parent for an extending right.
It was his child. It wasn't their child together all of.
The way they have phrased. It was his child, his four year old. So yes, and that you make a really good point. Christine Manfield, the wife thirty seven years old. She was a pediatric intensive care nurse. Think about pediatric intensive care nurses. You know, we don't know this woman, but just by knowing what she did for a living says a lot about who she was and the profession she chose. And I just think that's important to remember.
And yes, thirty nine year old Joseph Bryant, you know people I'm sure just are very dismissive.
Oh that's funny. We were talking about this the other day in a totally different context about just name some professions that as soon as you hear the profession you immediately jumped to a conclusion about that person. And we were actually talking about fighter violences and some different stuff. You were and when you say pediatric intensive care nurse, like, we know what an ICU is just in general, and you're in bad shape to think that someone is caring
for or the most vulnerable in their most vulnerable state. Yeah, I didn't know this about the woman that immediately to tell you something.
All of a sudden, your heart just in a different way out.
Yeah, it feels something different because you start to get an idea of who this woman was and the callousness if this is all true what prosecutors say that because he didn't want to be married to her and he wanted to go right off into the sunset with so parent, that's fine, divorce her. I never understand Is it then about money? Is it then about pride? Is it then about something else? Why go to that next level with
this woman who clearly chose a life of service. It's just it's a sad story altogether.
But in terms of somebody she was a part of inviting into their home, yes.
Yes to take and yes this is this a parent by the way, this and this will likely play into the defense, and we'll get into this in just a moment, but as a part of the all pairs plea agreement, I think it's really important to note.
So this happened in twenty twenty three.
They are going to reckon Fairfax County prosecutors that she just gets a sentence of time already served, meaning she will not spend any time in jail other than what she's spent already.
So what is that two years at the most two years plus.
So she's from Brazil, as we mentioned, and her sentencing notably has been delayed until after this trial. So she will be cooperating with prosecutors taking the witness stand, and then once the trial is over, she will be deported to Brazil a free woman. That is some compelling information to know. And surely the defense will capitalize on that that she had every reason to turn on him.
And this makes her testimony now when this trial must see you have to see she is key because now she is being given.
A hell of a deal.
A golden parish.
Is she is? It appears Robes their only hope of convicting this guy.
Yes and so so in addition to her testimony and what his defense will be, well, there is another twist in this case, guys. A hearing over this summer revealed that a Virginia detective, so someone who was with the Fairfax County Police Department, could also be a key part of the defense in dismantling a big part of the prosecution's allegations.
All right, folks, we continue here on Amy and TJ. Brendan Banfield opening statements set for this morning in the case of what is being dubbed the O Pair affair.
Is that what?
That's what they're saying?
Yes, but yes, Brendan Banfield involved in an affair with the old pair Brazilian o pair. His wife ends up dead along with another man who they had lured to the home, unsuspecting guy who thought he was coming for a sexual fetish fantasy role playing thing with thee but instead the wife was stabbed and then they shot, according to prosecutors, this other man, to make it look like they shot and killed the intruder, expecting to be heroes right off into the sunset and then can be together.
But that's not the case. They are being or he is on trial today. She, however, robes very important point, is not on trial. She has, for lack of a lack of a better term, she turned.
On him, yes, exactly.
And after opening statements this morning, which again begin at ten am. There are many legal experts who believe the prosecution may start out with a bang, and they may call the OU pair to the stand first. So a lot of electricity in that courtroom this morning as people wait to see who takes the stand first. Someone put it like this, only four people know exactly what happened in that bedroom. Two of them are dead, one of them is on trial for his life, and the other
is expected to testify. That's how important this testimony is today.
So the last two, the two that are alive, we have no reason to believe them. Like, as a juror, am I gonna believe Hi'm me trying to save his ass? I'm gonna believe her he's trying to save hers. So what is the actual evidence show? We always do this in these trials, Rod, would you put yourself in the position of the juror and looking at this, My question is that what is the evidence? Because I don't believe anybody.
Right, because you can say whatever you want to say to conveniently fit your theory. That saves your butt the most. Now, there is another twist in this case that we teased before we went to break. So in a hearing over the summer, a Fairfax County detective who is.
Trained in digital forensics.
He testified that is he analyzed all of the digital data in this in terms of that fetish site website that the prosecution claims, and that the O pair says they went on and created in Christine's name on her computer and solicited this man to come over to the home. Well, this detective said that it is his professional conclusion that it was Christine on the computer, not Brendan and the AU pair. Now it's not just this one detective who
says this. He actually had his team who prepared this analyzed by the University of Alabama, so they had it peer reviewed and the University of Alabama evidence analysis team affirmed the detective's finding. So you have a group of people now who say, after looking at the digital footprint left behind on Christine's computer, they believe it was Christine who solicited this fetish worker. I don't know how to describe what that profession is.
Oh, was it a professional guy who just I thought it was just a site for random not anybody.
Oh, you're right.
I guess maybe it was just a meet up hook up thing. I guess maybe there was no money.
Experience, right, you're right, of course you're thinking, I'm right.
I'm thinking.
Okay, So, yes, this was just a consensual, mutual thing where two people agree to meet and play out sexual fantasy. So they're claiming it was Christine, not Brendan and the old pair. So how does that change?
It changes everything.
Everything, because now you can't believe anything the O pair has said on the jury.
If you prove to me, if you tell me that she was the one sending and recruiting and having that guy come over.
I mean right, And could you make the jury believe or at least plant a seed of reasonable doubt in their heads that the O pair was upset that he ended an affair with her, or that she was about to get fired, or that he was about to maybe and so this was her way to get back at him, to make the whole plot look.
Like he did it. But see, she's still.
Been behind bars and still admitted to shooting Ryan. So that's the only thing. Why would she do that.
There's a lot of wise with a lot of folks in this thing.
But ro would you you brought up what I think is key If you want to tell you're going to tell me somebody out there whose job it is. This is a we know about forensic examination now even know about digital forensics these days. You're telling me there's a guy who swear and this guy was moved from his position. The timing is weird. They say it had nothing to do with a disciplinary action or because he wasn't going along with the program. But he just happened to get moved,
not fired. He was moved through a different divisions yeah, there it is so that for me, at least as a juror, if they allowed, I would raise my hand and ask questions, and this would be one of the first. But if somebody in a whole group backed him up, that's.
What you said, Yes, the University of Alabama.
Now, as SEC folks whould say, ah, it's Alabama trying.
To weigh in my feelings about Alabama.
Alabama, Georgia, we love you. That's just that's just an SEC joke. As rivals, you can't believe anything in al No. No, but they have backed it up.
Yes, then you're gonna have to approve to me that these two are responsible for getting that guy to the house, because if they're not, that means they did not premeditate and plan to murder him and her.
This is a fascinating case.
It'll be fascinating to watch the ou pair take the stand and yes, how the prosecution overcomes that big problem they have in terms of their timeline and their premeditation. You make such a good point, so we will be watching. We will keep you updated. Again. The trial begins at ten a m. Eastern time in Virginia. But in the meantime, thank you everyone, for listening to us. I'm Amy Robot alongside TJ.
Holmes. We will talk to you soon.