VERDICT WATCH VA - Joseph Ryan shot, Christine Banfield stabbed, both deceased, in home - Herndon 24 Feb 2023

[mickey2942]

and set it up on your work computer from a hospital?

Phone. With code lock. Just saying. No pesky evidence lying around.

 

[Inthedetails]

Glad you mentioned their familiar and casual use of the given name "Joe" in their testimony. I also found this beyond weird. If I had shot someone, previously unknown to me, who was attacking my spouse, I think I would refer to him as "the man" or "the attacker" or anything but their first name!

Good point. It seem like a "tell" that they had communicated and knew each other on some basis....like from the catfish exchange!

 

[jeff2034]

All the allowable exhibits are up on the Fairfax county circuit court website under high profile cases. After reading his letters to her, I think I’ve changed my earlier stance and believe he was head over heels for her…….still reading them now.
ETA, his handwriting is atrocious, like a little kids writing.
ETAM (more)…. Although these were written after the murders while she was in jail but he was still out, the intensity of them feels like MORE motive for Brendan to commit the murders to be with J., so I’m surprised the Commonwealth gave such little weight to these as a motive!

I agree - after reading those letters he clearly was obsessed with her and it was much more than just a casual affair at least for him. He claimed in his testimony that those feelings only started after CB died, but everyone knows that's BS. And many of the wonderful memories that he cites in the letters are from when CB was still alive.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Well he is no Nicholas sparks
I felt a little different, I didnt hear love letters I heard “ please dont flip on me, or take a plea deal and rat me out”
he wants her to gel like they have a future.
Way way way too shmoozy, too many movie quotes and lyric quotes. “ i will love you for a thousand years and I will love you for a thousand more” he may have loved his wife b/c they were relationship a long time but mourn platonic? He was to busy fantasizing about everything else. Inflating it in his head.
He lives in a fantasy world. He was conning JM , he’s smart enough to know they’d likely be offering her a plea deal in exchange for her testimony. Even if she took a plea deal, hes reminding her of their notebook moments, getting caught in the rain and naming their future children, as they collapsed on the bed and him petting her hair while they fell asleep unable to let go of eachother

And the award for best bull$hitter goes to…

I agree, felt like he was live bombing hard to keep her mouth shut and keep her willing to take the fall for him. Until forensics undermined his “story” he was scott free while she was locked up.

 

[turaj]

I agree, felt like he was live bombing hard to keep her mouth shut and keep her willing to take the fall for him. Until forensics undermined his “story” he was scott free while she was locked up.

what a big fool!

 

[Luna20]

It’s somewhat shocking that the first au pair wasn’t called to the stand. At a minimum she was extremely close to CB and could’ve spoken to her character. But I imagine she would’ve had other relevant information about the dynamic inside the house etc.

Christine stood in her wedding. I haven’t caught up with today’s post so disregard if that has been discussed.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Christine stood in her wedding. I haven’t caught up with today’s post so disregard if that has been discussed.

She flew back to VA after the murders but then was cut off from the little girl, like Christine’s family. Further trauma to protect their secrets about what was going on in the house imho. The little girl might call JPM mommy or say where she slept. Jmooo.

 

[Luna20]

She flew back to VA after the murders but then was cut off from the little girl, like Christine’s family. Further trauma to protect their secrets about what was going on in the house imho. The little girl might call JPM mommy or say where she slept. Jmooo.

That’s awful. Was it discussed that CB family was cut off from their grandchild?

 

[ttjo]

She flew back to VA after the murders but then was cut off from the little girl, like Christine’s family. Further trauma to protect their secrets about what was going on in the house imho. The little girl might call JPM mommy or say where she slept. Jmooo.

Thats just another sign. Who would keep grandparents away from their grandchild after they just lost a daughter.
Someone who has something to hide. Like the Adelsons
.

 

[ttjo]

Just watch his movements in the first 2-3 minutes of this video. He doesnt know what to do with himself.

 

[Luna20]

Thats just another sign. Who would keep grandparents away from their grandchild after they just lost a daughter.
Someone who has something to hide. Like the Adelsons
.

That’s another missed opportunity if the CW didn’t touch on this.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

That’s awful. Was it discussed that CB family was cut off from their grandchild?

They filed for custody last year but it is still with Tess Banfield in the murder house. I sincerely hope she will be prosecuted for obstruction for her snitches get stitches threats to Juliana in jail. Judges are reluctant to change the status quo, moving Tess in quickly (testified to by JPM) was clever and diabolical by BB.

 

[Luna20]

Just watch his movements in the first 2-3 minutes of this video. He doesnt know what to do with himself.

Once she walked past him he watched her backside until she took a seat. I can’t tell if he was trying to look mad at her or if he wanted to look like a victim. All that burrowing of his eyes and forehead were fabricating something.

 

[ttjo]

Once she walked past him he watched her backside until she took a seat. I can’t tell if he was trying to look mad at her or if he wanted to look like a victim. All that burrowing of his eyes and forehead were fabricating something.

Thats what I hate the most but didn’t know a word for it, Burrowing, thats exactly what that is.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Once she walked past him he watched her backside until she took a seat. I can’t tell if he was trying to look mad at her or if he wanted to look like a victim. All that burrowing of his eyes and forehead were fabricating something.

He really was staring. That was one of his favorite “parts” he went on about it in a letter to her in jail, it’s one of the exhibits on the court website. He is a truly vile and disgusting human being. Moo.

 

[petunia5743]

That’s another missed opportunity if the CW didn’t touch on this.

I thought the same thing, especially since Brendan opened up the door for this line of questioning when he said both sets of grandparents spent a significant amount of time with the granddaughter. So why didn’t CW ask how many times did Christine‘s parents see her after the murders? And why?

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Who would create and use a Fetlife account on a WORK computer? Who would set up a violent BDSM encounter with a stranger when your elderly parents are driving many hours from LI and arriving for a visit that day? And within minutes of your 4 year old leaving the house? None of the story makes sense. Jmoo.

 

[Luna20]

Thats what I hate the most but didn’t know a word for it, Burrowing, thats exactly what that is.

He had his head down most of the time but he couldn’t hide his guilt with his expressions. The tissue in his hand without a tear didn’t fool anyone. Even in the hospital, he didn’t think about what he had done or have any moments of regret. He doubled down with his charades.

I thought the same thing, especially since Brendan opened up the door for this line of questioning when he said both sets of grandparents spent a significant amount of time with the granddaughter. So why didn’t CW ask how many times did Christine‘s parents see her after the murders? And why?

So much left out, it was boring as far as good lawyering. The highlight of the trial was BB taking the stand but he was able to stay somewhat calm. There was plenty of questioning that could have made him sweaty and bright faced red.

 

[mickey2942]

I think that the prosecution did not focus much on the victims, to craft a story. Because they had a witness, who told the entire story. JM. That was their entire case.

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

Who would create and use a Fetlife account on a WORK computer? Who would set up a violent BDSM encounter with a stranger when your elderly parents are driving many hours from LI and arriving for a visit that day? And within minutes of your 4 year old leaving the house? None of the story makes sense. Jmoo.

Come join us over on the Mamta Kafle Bhatt forum. He used his Federal Government issued work computer for his searches.