VA - Herndon, Joseph Ryan shot, Christine Banfield stabbed, both deceased, in home - Feb 2023

[petunia5743]

Honestly, I think the idea of using a dead man's hand to put their fingerprints on a knife is something out of a bad mystery novel.

In reality, first you'd have to first wipe your own fingerprints off the bloody knife, then wrap the dead man's fingers around it in a convincing way so that his pressure and grip make it seem like he was the killer. His clothes and hands should have blood spatter from the stabbing, so you'd have to fake that in a realistic way. And of course you'd have to wear gloves because if your own fingerprints were on his hands, it would give it away. After setting up the crime scene you'd then dispose gloves so the police don't find them. And remember, there was a child in the house while all this was going on.

To do all that in a way that wouldn't be obvious to the cops is next to impossible. There are a hundred ways it would be obvious that the crime scene was manipulated.

Oh yes, I agree with everything you said. But then again I have a feeling things didn’t go the way they were “meant to“ that day prime example is the delay between 911 calls and why did they need 2 guns to kill a man, especially: why did they need the second gun when the man had already been blinded/incapacitated by the first shot? The whole thing is sloppy and hopefully if mistakes were made, it will bring us closer to the truth.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Oh yes, I agree with everything you said. But then again I have a feeling things didn’t go the way they were “meant to“ that day prime example is the delay between 911 calls and why did they need 2 guns to kill a man, especially: why did they need the second gun when the man had already been blinded/incapacitated by the first shot? The whole thing is sloppy and hopefully if mistakes were made, it will bring us closer to the truth.

I think the plan was always to use 2 guns, otherwise why take AP to firing range and purchase the 2nd gun? https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/loca...ting-range-before-reston-murder-witness-says/

I assume BB did not want her to use his service revolver. It wasn't physically necessary to use a second gun but it certainly made her have skin in the game, no? I think he could claim self defense/defense of his wife and without AP's cooperation as to the lure and ruse, may be hard to convict, which may be why he has not been arrested. Much stronger case with her cooperation but she has not taken plea. JMOOO. Joe could not be left alive to testify as to the lure and ruse, incapacitated was not enough for silence.

I respectfully disagree it was sloppy, BB is still free. MOOO. As long as she does not flip on him, seems to have worked out well from his standpoint. RIP Christine and Joe. That all this happened with a young child in the home really heightens the depravity to me. IMHO. Horrible case.

 

[petunia5743]

FYI from the case info:
Hearing Scheduled (Motion - Suppress - Criminal 09/19/2024 10:00 AM

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

New article

https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2024/09/04/herndon-au-pair-affair-trial/

 

[Starlight0229]

New article

https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2024/09/04/herndon-au-pair-affair-trial/

I had a hard time getting this to load, even when logging into my WaPo account as prompted (even though it said I could read for free it would get stuck with a subscription screen), so I archived it on archive.org to make it easier for all to read. An au pair, a husband’s affair and a double homicide

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

I had a hard time getting this to load, even when logging into my WaPo account as prompted (even though it said I could read for free it would get stuck with a subscription screen), so I archived it on archive.org to make it easier for all to read. An au pair, a husband’s affair and a double homicide

Thanks!

 

[momsof3]

I had a hard time getting this to load, even when logging into my WaPo account as prompted (even though it said I could read for free it would get stuck with a subscription screen), so I archived it on archive.org to make it easier for all to read. An au pair, a husband’s affair and a double homicide

Thank you very much for access to this article. It is impossible to understand how Brendan Banfield has not been charged. This article makes clear that every piece of evidence that is being used to prosecute the au pair also applies to him - he admits firing one of the fatal shots, there is proof that the picture of his wife used in the fake profile used to lure Mr. Ryan to his house was sent to him by his wife, he bought a new phone and wiped the history, he left the house for his job but instead sat for 17 minutes at a nearby McDonalds waiting (it appears) for a call from the au pair, and so much more. Not only that he remains working in the federal government (hopefully NOT with his service weapon). I understand the DA might want to flip the au pair (who seems naive and delusional about what is happening to her - she can't wait to "go home") but given the abundant evidence, I can't make sense of it.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Thank you very much for access to this article. It is impossible to understand how Brendan Banfield has not been charged. This article makes clear that every piece of evidence that is being used to prosecute the au pair also applies to him - he admits firing one of the fatal shots, there is proof that the picture of his wife used in the fake profile used to lure Mr. Ryan to his house was sent to him by his wife, he bought a new phone and wiped the history, he left the house for his job but instead sat for 17 minutes at a nearby McDonalds waiting (it appears) for a call from the au pair, and so much more. Not only that he remains working in the federal government (hopefully NOT with his service weapon). I understand the DA might want to flip the au pair (who seems naive and delusional about what is happening to her - she can't wait to "go home") but given the abundant evidence, I can't make sense of it.

I think they were waiting to see if they would get her testimony to make the strongest case possible. MOOO.

 

[ch_13]

I think they were waiting to see if they would get her testimony to make the strongest case possible. MOOO.

As a criminal defendant it's pretty unlikely she'll take the stand. And even if she does testify, she can still take the Fifth in any prosecution of Brendan, so I'm not sure how it benefits them.

I assume the prosecutors know what they're doing, but based on what we know today, I have a lot of doubts about the way they're handling this case.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

As a criminal defendant it's pretty unlikely she'll take the stand. And even if she does testify, she can still take the Fifth in any prosecution of Brendan, so I'm not sure how it benefits them.

I assume the prosecutors know what they're doing, but based on what we know today, I have a lot of doubts about the way they're handling this case.

To clarify, meant she would provide evidence in exchange for plea deal re: the plot/scheme/ruse/lure that otherwise they cannot as easily/effectively prove against him. He has the defense of shooting in defense of his wife so I can see why they would want all of the other information, if possible. That was the prosecution plan, clearly. That she has not flipped means it did not work. Per her mom, Brazil and the family are not providing money for legal assistance, see interview with mom upthread. So, presumably Brendan is paying. Is that a conflict re: his lawyer NOT urging her to flip/plead? Maybe and it seems to be going that way. MOOO.