Double Homicide Hearing In Au Pair Case Postponed By Judge

RESTON, VA — Brendan Banfield of Herndon, who is accused of killing two people, including his wife, made his first appearance in Fairfax County Circuit Court Tuesday morning — and it was a brief one.

Shortly after Judge Jonathan D. Frieden called the arraignment hearing into session at 10 a.m., he granted a motion by Banfield's attorney to postpone the hearing until Thursday. The hearing was then adjourned.

Banfield was brought to the court in handcuffs for the hearing, which was also attended by family members of the two victims. Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorneys Eric Clingan and Kelsey Gill are prosecuting the case.

On Monday, Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano and FCPD Chief Kevin Davis said Banfield had been charged with four counts of aggravated murder in connection with the 2023 killings of his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and 39-year-old Joseph Ryan, 39, of Springfield.

RELATED: 4 Murder Charges Filed Against Husband In 2023 Double Homicide

The killings happened on Feb. 24, 2023 at a home in the 13200 block of Stable Brook Way in the Hattontown neighborhood in the Herndon area.

After being called to the scene earlier in the morning, police found Christine Banfield with upper body stab wounds and Ryan with upper body gunshot wounds.

Banfield was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead, while Ryan died at the scene.

A 4-year-old girl was home when the shooting occurred and was not hurt, police said.

Based on forensic evidence and interviews, the au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 23, of Reston, was charged with second-degree murder in Ryan's death in October 2023. She still has a November court date, Descano said on Monday.

"We know Brandon Banfield and Juliana Margalis, the family au pair, were involved in a romantic relationship at the time of the murder," Davis said, adding he could not elaborate because the investigation was still ongoing.

The Washington Post reported that Banfield told a 911 dispatcher he had shot Ryan. He also accused Ryan of stabbing Christine Banfield.

At a news briefing after the killings, Davis said the au pair and Banfield’s husband both called 911. The husband had told a 911 dispatcher he shot a man who had entered the home and stabbed Banfield.