A Virginia man having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair was found guilty Monday of murdering his wife and another man that prosecutors say was lured to the house as a fall guy.

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, told police he came across Joseph Ryan attacking his wife, Christine Banfield, with a knife on the morning of 24 February 2023. He shot Ryan and then Juliana Magalhães, the au pair, shot him, too.

But officials argued in court that the story was too good to be true, telling jurors that Banfield set Ryan up in a scheme to get rid of his wife. It later came out that Brendan Banfield and Magalhães had been having an affair.

Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024 and testified against her former lover at trial. She said they had impersonated Christine Banfield, a pediatric intensive care nurse, on a website for sexual fetishes. She said they used the site to lure Ryan to the house for a sexual encounter involving a knife, staging the scene to look as though they had shot an intruder who was attacking the wife.

Defense attorney John Carroll argued that Magalhães’ testimony could not be trusted because she was cooperating with prosecutors to try to avoid a long prison sentence. In his own testimony, Banfield said that the testimony was “ absolutely crazy”.

Carroll also introduced evidence showing that there was dissent within the police department over the theory that Magalhães and Brendan Banfield impersonated Christine Banfield on social media in a “catfishing” scheme. An officer who concluded from digital evidence that Christine Banfield was behind the social media account was later transferred in what Carroll said was punishment for disagreeing with a theory favored by the department’s higher-ups.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Jenna Sands told the jury they did not have to rely solely on Magalhães’ testimony, pointing to what she called a “plethora of evidence”. That included expert testimony that blood stains on Ryan’s hands suggested Christine Banfield’s blood had been dripped onto him from above.

The jury deliberated for nearly nine hours across two days before reaching a verdict. Banfield faces the possibility of life in prison at sentencing.

Magalhães was scheduled to be sentenced after Banfield’s trial. Attorneys have said she could be allowed to walk free if she is sentenced to time served.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested more than 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia during a two-week statewide operation conducted in coordination with local law enforcement agencies and without protests, federal officials announced.

ICE said in a press release Sunday that the operation ran from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19 and involved 14 federal, state and local law enforcement partners.

ICE deployed teams to Charleston, Martinsburg, Beckley, Moorefield, Morgantown and Huntington as part of the operation.

Law enforcement officials arrested more than 650 illegal aliens, including individuals ICE said pose threats to public safety and national security, as well as others who entered the country illegally.

DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS

“This operation demonstrates how strong partnerships between ICE and West Virginia law enforcement agencies enhance public safety and the integrity of our immigration system,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose said. “By training and supporting our… partners across the state, we’ve expanded local capacity to identify, arrest and process illegal aliens while ensuring these authorities are exercised professionally and consistent with the law.”

One individual arrested as part of Operation ICE Wall on Jan. 8 was Sagar Singh, a citizen of India. The operation targeted illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles, and Singh was pulled over for failing to stop at a mandatory brake check station.

During the stop, Singh was cited for multiple vehicle infractions, including operating an unsafe commercial vehicle. According to ICE, Singh had previously been ordered removed from the U.S.

HOUSTON ICE OPERATION NETS OVER 3,500 CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS IN SIX WEEKS DURING SHUTDOWN

Singh was one of more than 25 aliens arrested under Operation ICE Wall during the two-week enforcement surge.

Another illegal alien arrested during the operation was Ling Yan, a citizen of China also known as Yang Ning, who was previously convicted of two counts of endangering the welfare of children in Ravenna, Ohio.

ICE also arrested a convicted child sex abuser, an individual with drug possession convictions and numerous other offenders during the operation.

CALIFORNIA ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WITH 49 PRIOR ARRESTS TOPS ICE’S LATEST ‘WORST-OF-THE-WORST’ LIST

One of the agencies that worked with ICE was the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, whose top official praised the results of the two-week operation.

“The Sheriff’s Office was impressed with the professionalism and work ethic of the agents and how well they interacted with the citizens and local law enforcement officers,” Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Hansen said. “Working with such a high-caliber group of agents who were assigned to Jefferson County made the decision to support the initiative worthwhile.”

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“We are also gratified that through this program, we have had the opportunity to remove numerous dangerous criminals from our community,” he added.

WASHINGTON – Last weekend’s winter storm dumped five to 12 inches of snow across the DMV, leaving many roads unshoveled or covered in ice.

As a result, several school districts in the area have either canceled school or will have a delayed start on Monday, Feb. 2.

Stay with the FOX 5 Weather Team for the latest forecast updates and check the updated list of closings and delays. The FOX LOCAL app is your source for live FOX 5 DC weather updates. Click here to download.

Full list of school closings and delays for Monday, February 2