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

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Reading that article I truly believe BB was a sociopath. This clearly wasn't a spur-of-the-moment rage. Who kills TWO people, including his wife and some totally innocent person instead of getting a divorce. He made a decent living, he could have divorced and married his young au pair. Instead he ensnared Juliana in some clearly long, meticulously planned multiple murder plot which left his daughter without either parent!
Oh, but he’d have to pay some sort of alimony and/or divide the property! He’d have to spilt custody of his child.

It just would have been very inconvenient, you know?
 
Oh, but he’d have to pay some sort of alimony and/or divide the property! He’d have to spilt custody of his child.

It just would have been very inconvenient, you know?
He didn't make that much money, the only way they could afford that house was based on selling a property on Long Island, imo. It would have been a huge drop in living standard.
 
It will be very interesting to learn what finally convinced prosecutors that it was time to indict him. Maybe Juliana flipped, maybe not. It seems strange that it would take her so long while sitting in a jail cell. But police must have collected massive amounts of forensic info (blood, fingerprints, ballistics, DNA, computer records, cell phone and other digital records, and all kinds of other physical evidence) early on, and there has long been a mountain of circumstantial evidence (that he was APs lover, had recently gone to shooting range and purchased Glock, etc.). So what was preventing authorities from thinking they had an ironclad case a long time ago? When all is revealed it will be fascinating.

In yesterday's press conference, the cops seemed to suggest that they recently received new evidence that proved Brendan killed Christine. Prior to this they've been mum on Christine's murder.

It could be that Juliana flipped, but I wonder if some forensics came back from the lab definitively tying him to the stabbing.
 
In yesterday's press conference, the cops seemed to suggest that they recently received new evidence that proved Brendan killed Christine. Prior to this they've been mum on Christine's murder.

It could be that Juliana flipped, but I wonder if some forensics came back from the lab definitively tying him to the stabbing.
It's a good question, but I am not sure what kind of forensics would take a year and a half to come back, especially in a case like this that, one would assume, is fairly high-priority. Anyone have any thoughts? Of course, "new evidence" could mean what Juliana has recently offered up.
 
Trial set Feb 3 but could be pushed back, defense is still waiting on 8 terabits of data from the prosecution.

From the article:
Magalhaes’s criminal jury trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 12
“The fact that we’ve indicted Brendan today and made that arrest does not mean that her case is being thrown out,” Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano said Monday. “We intend to go forward with that case as scheduled.”


So, no plea deal with Juliana?
 
From the article:
Magalhaes’s criminal jury trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 12
“The fact that we’ve indicted Brendan today and made that arrest does not mean that her case is being thrown out,” Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano said Monday. “We intend to go forward with that case as scheduled.”


So, no plea deal with Juliana?
This does not necessarily mean there is no plea deal forthcoming. There may or may not be. Until the actual deal is finalized (if there is to be one) and the plea is entered in court, the prosecution cannot be expected to say anything but "full speed ahead." Plea deals often fall apart before they become final.
 
Reading that article I truly believe BB was a sociopath. This clearly wasn't a spur-of-the-moment rage. Who kills TWO people, including his wife and some totally innocent person instead of getting a divorce. He made a decent living, he could have divorced and married his young au pair. Instead he ensnared Juliana in some clearly long, meticulously planned multiple murder plot which left his daughter without either parent!

Obviously, he did this because he felt/thought he could get away with it - without punishment(s). And, I agree if he had gotten a divorce - this would have been very expensive & resulted in him probably not having full custody.

Note that it seems he almost did get away with this premeditated/planned murder. And, all of us are fully aware of cases similar to this one in which the obvious perp. commits a crime like this with 0 consequences.
 
Obviously, he did this because he felt/thought he could get away with it - without punishment(s). And, I agree if he had gotten a divorce - this would have been very expensive & resulted in him probably not having full custody.

Note that it seems he almost did get away with this premeditated/planned murder. And, all of us are fully aware of cases similar to this one in which the obvious perp. commits a crime like this with 0 consequences.
I don't think these men care about custody but about splitting money, control and not paying support. They could barely afford the big house on their salaries and then only bc of owned property on Long Island that was sold prior to the move to VA. May have needed to downsize to an apt or condo if divorced. That lifestyle would not have had the same appeal to the chesty young gfriend IMOO.
 
That all of this was planned to take place early in the am the day after Brendan Banfield's birthday has always been an extra layer of horror for me. There was likely a cake with his wife and preschooler. But he had been plotting her demise, now hours away, for months, if not longer. I wonder if she was drugged? The sense of betrayal had to be astounding. She really hung on for her daughter, still alive when got to the hospital. MOOO.
 
New article detailing Juliana’s hearing today asking to suppress evidence. Specifically they’re claiming she went to the police station against her consent and her phone and Apple Watch were “unlawfully seized”.

 
Was pleasantly surprised to see the latest indictment and charges in the case against the husband BB. All seems so unnecessary. And as others have said, the poor child of CB and her husband. :(

One thing really caught my eyes…… the au pair describing the knife as ‘striking flesh’ or words to that effect. And IIUC she is giving that analysis from being in a different room from the stabbing event? I don’t recall that from earlier. So maybe that is new? But even more disturbing IMO, hearing that type sound? And describing it that way? Not saying it is impossible to ‘hear’ from a distance…… but suspicion is the au pair was standing in the room watching the events. Based on that description?

Will be interested in what other evidence and information becomes available. And also seems the au pair best get an attorney separate from her ‘lover’, sever all ties to him, and try to offer evidence? And why would her attorney move to suppress evidence? IANAL. MOO
 
Was pleasantly surprised to see the latest indictment and charges in the case against the husband BB. All seems so unnecessary. And as others have said, the poor child of CB and her husband. :(

One thing really caught my eyes…… the au pair describing the knife as ‘striking flesh’ or words to that effect. And IIUC she is giving that analysis from being in a different room from the stabbing event? I don’t recall that from earlier. So maybe that is new? But even more disturbing IMO, hearing that type sound? And describing it that way? Not saying it is impossible to ‘hear’ from a distance…… but suspicion is the au pair was standing in the room watching the events. Based on that description?

Will be interested in what other evidence and information becomes available. And also seems the au pair best get an attorney separate from her ‘lover’, sever all ties to him, and try to offer evidence? And why would her attorney move to suppress evidence? IANAL. MOO
Yes the "striking flesh" bit is puzzling--not only that she supposedly could hear it but that somehow she was able to identify the sound (unless she had observed or overhead many knife assaults over the years).

On the suggestion that Juliana "best get an attorney separate from her 'lover...'" In fact she does have an attorney separate from her lover; it would be a serious breach of ethics as well as professional malpractice for an attorney to represent her otherwise. It may be (though I don't think we know for certain) that BB has been paying the lawyer's fees for Juliana. However, in no way would the lawyer be answerable to BB and, in fact, it would be highly unethical for the attorney to even discuss the case with BB absent a scenario where (1) his client insisted he do so and (2) lawyer concluded that client would somehow benefit from cooperation with BB. This is unlikely in the extreme, as Juliana's attorney would have to have explained to her how divergent her interests are from BB's--that her best chance of getting off completely or with a reduced sentence is if the whole thing can be pinned on BB. Ryan Campbell, her lawyer, appears to be a very experienced criminal trial attorney who would be unwilling to put his reputation and career on the line to serve BB's interests at the expense of his client's.
 
Yes the "striking flesh" bit is puzzling--not only that she supposedly could hear it but that somehow she was able to identify the sound (unless she had observed or overhead many knife assaults over the years).

On the suggestion that Juliana "best get an attorney separate from her 'lover...'" In fact she does have an attorney separate from her lover; it would be a serious breach of ethics as well as professional malpractice for an attorney to represent her otherwise. It may be (though I don't think we know for certain) that BB has been paying the lawyer's fees for Juliana. However, in no way would the lawyer be answerable to BB and, in fact, it would be highly unethical for the attorney to even discuss the case with BB absent a scenario where (1) his client insisted he do so and (2) lawyer concluded that client would somehow benefit from cooperation with BB. This is unlikely in the extreme, as Juliana's attorney would have to have explained to her how divergent her interests are from BB's--that her best chance of getting off completely or with a reduced sentence is if the whole thing can be pinned on BB. Ryan Campbell, her lawyer, appears to be a very experienced criminal trial attorney who would be unwilling to put his reputation and career on the line to serve BB's interests at the expense of his client's.
Yes and agree, but IMO from what is now reported or known, the whole thing cannot be pinned solely on BB. IIRC the au pair has admitted to being requested to obtain a second gun and enjoin in the slaying(s). And I fully agree her description of the slaying says IMO either she has experience with such, or was watching the event unfold. And it seems the two were ‘hitched at the tip’ early in the planning and execution of their plan. These two, the au pair and BB IMO deserve each other. As to the lawyer and who is paying or representing whom I withdraw any further concerns expressed about that after reading and reflecting further. MOO
 
Both BB & the au pair committed a heinous crime & should definitely go to jail for the rest of their natural lives - at a minimum. That being said, I blame BB much more than the au pair. He was much older & his wife/mother of his child was who they murdered in cold blood. I.e., while we don't know who the brainchild was re: this crime/plan - I'm sure he had a lot to do with this & could definitely have stopped this from going forward at any time.
 

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