Virginia
Virginia man charged in double homicide that left wife dead arraigned on charges
																								
												
												
											 
Virginia man charged in double homicide that left wife dead arraigned on charges
A Virginia man indicted for the murder of his wife and another man has been arraigned for the charges, nearly a year after the family’s au pair was also charged in the case.
HERNDON, Va. – A Virginia man indicted for the murder of his wife and another man has been arraigned for the charges, nearly a year after the family’s au pair was also charged in the case.
Brendan Banfield was arraigned in Fairfax County court Tuesday after his indictment on five counts total for the February 2023 killings of his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Four of the counts are related to the aggravated murder charge, while the fifth count is for felony firearm use.
“The reason we did that, it’s very lawyerly and technical. Essentially, it boils down to in the aggravated murder statute. There are a number of different options to prove that. When we look at what we intend to present at trial, we believe that our presentation of evidence can possibly hit both of those both of those different subsections elements,” Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano said this week. “The reason we did that we wanted to cover all our bases, make sure that jury had every option. I know that it’s a little unusual, but the aggravated murder statute written is quite unusual in Virginia.”
According to the indictment obtained by FOX 5 on Tuesday, investigators said Brendan Banfield “willfully, deliberately, and with pre-meditation kill and murder Joseph Ryan as a part of the same act or transaction during which he also did kill and murder Christine Banfield.”
READ MORE: Husband indicted in Virginia double homicide nearly a year after au pair’s arrest
The arrest of Brendan Banfield was announced Monday at the Fairfax County Police Department, more than a year-and-a-half after the bodies of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan were found in a bedroom of the Banfield’s Fairfax County home. Ryan had been shot in the head, and Christine Banfield was stabbed multiple times in the neck.
Two other people were in that bedroom: Juliana Peres Magalhaes, the couple’s au pair and Christine Banfield’s husband Brendan.
“We know Brendan Banfield and Juliana Magalhaes, the family au pair, were involved in a romantic relationship at the time of the murders. I will not describe our victim Joseph Ryan’s relationship with anyone involved in the case at the moment because this investigation continues. And like any criminal investigation or probing of the fact does not end when arrest is made,” Chief Kevin Davis said this week. “This much is clear. We have evidence to now allege that Christine Banfield’s life was unlawfully taken and Joseph Ryan’s life was unlawfully taken.”
READ MORE: Au pair charged with murder in Herndon double homicide: police
Police did not indicate at what point Brendan Banfield became a suspect, nor did they specify whether Peres Magalhaes had anything to do with new information being presented to police prior to Banfield’s arrest.
“It’s digital evidence, physical evidence, forensic evidence, circumstantial evidence detectives. The prosecutors have worked meticulously to ensure that every T is crossed and every I is dotted, but the work still goes on,” Davis said. “I knew, I suspected, I had a feeling that there was a lot more to what met the eye that morning. Certainly, it has taken a road, 570 days later, where we are finally in a position to announce that two persons are being charged and held responsible and introduced to our criminal justice system for these two murders.”
According to court filings as of Tuesday, more than 40 subpoenas have been filed in Peres Magalhaes’ case on the second-degree murder charge. She is currently scheduled for a hearing on Thursday and her trial is set for November.
																	
																															Virginia
Virginia is about to make history! Earle-Sears, Spanberger make final push as Election Day approaches.
 
RICHMOND, Va. — Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger made their final appeals to Virginia voters across the Commonwealth on Monday, as each hopes to make history as the state’s first female governor.
Earle-Sears began her day at Shorty’s Diner in Henrico County, flipping pancakes and serving coffee alongside the Republican statewide ticket and Governor Glenn Youngkin.
“We’re going to keep it moving. Our Governor has begun it. We’re going to finish it,” Earle-Sears told supporters gathered at the restaurant. “Do you like what we’ve been doing in Virginia? Well, Abigail Spanberger was never a part of it. She hasn’t been a part of creating any of these jobs, she hasn’t been a part of helping Virginia to remain safe and secure.”
 WTVR
Shakile Ali, an Earle-Sears supporter, said he backs her positions on school choice and policies regarding transgender students in sports and bathrooms.
 What Virginia voters are telling CBS 6 about the Virginia economy and their vote
“I believe that the love of her country, the love of Virginia is what makes me support her the most. From her guidance, her family values, the Christian values make me support her,” Ali said.
Just blocks away on West Broad Street, Spanberger’s campaign bus arrived at a field office to energize volunteers before a day of door-knocking.
“We are giving people not just hope, but a plan and a path towards utilizing that hope,” Spanberger said. “Virginians, tomorrow, will make clear that we want a governor who’s focused on lowering costs, strengthening our communities, strengthening our public schools and growing our economy despite all the challenges we see coming out of D.C.”
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Patty Heidelmark, who has volunteered for Spanberger since 2018, said she supports the candidate’s positions on public education, women’s rights, and healthcare.
“I’m a Type 1 diabetic. I’m on a pump. Insulin saves my life. She has supported healthcare and the need for healthcare for people. Especially people of my age, who are in our 60s,” Heidelmark said.
A recent Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey showed Spanberger leading Earle-Sears by double digits in the historic race.
 What’s on the mind of Virginia voters in Chesterfield?
More than 1.4 million Virginia voters have already cast ballots during the early voting period, which has now closed. Polls will open at 6 a.m. on Election Day and remain open until 7 p.m.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
Virginia
Jackets Cap Virginia Trip With Sweep of Hokies
 
BLACKSBURG, VA. – Georgia Tech volleyball (12-9, 7-5 ACC) capped its road trip in Virginia with a sweep of Virginia Tech (10-13, 2-10 ACC) on Sunday afternoon.
QUICK HITS
- The Jackets’ offense was led by both senior DeAndra Pierce and freshman Anna Fiedorowicz with nine kills respectively.
 - Fiedorowicz nine kills were accompanied by one assist, one solo block, one block assist, three service aces and eight digs.
 - Her three service aces are the fourth most for a Yellow Jacket in a single match this season while her one solo block tied her career high for the third time.
 - Bianca Garibaldi and Mimi Mambu assisted Pierce and Fiedorowicz on offense with eight kills apiece.
 - For Garibaldi, those eight kills were her most kills since the 10 she recorded against North Carolina and tied for her third most this season.
 - The sophomore also saw her second-best attack percentage of the season (.615), just behind her .750 attack percentage against Ole Miss in the season opener.
 - Mambu finished the day with one solo block and one block assist as well which is the fourth time in her career she has recorded a solo block.
 - The Virginia native’s eight kills against Virginia Tech mark the fifth consecutive match that she has recorded no less than eight kills.
 - Sofia Velez recorded her 17th game of the season, her seventh consecutive match, with double digit digs. Her 10 digs bring her to 122 games recording 10+ digs out of 131 total collegiate games.
 - Heloise Soares was responsible for 34 of Tech’s 39 assists on Sunday, which was her fourth most assists in a three-set match this season.
 - Soares also recorded 10 digs alongside Velez, which was the seventh time she has recorded 10+ digs in a match this season.
 - Freshman Laura Bieleski tied her career high attack percentage on Sunday as well as she finished the day with a .333 attack percentage.
 - Georgia Tech recorded its second most aces in a single match this season (8) for the third time with the other two being against No. 17 Purdue and No. 5 Pitt.
 - The Jackets extend their lead in the overall series against the Hookies, 22-10, and are now 12-6 while playing Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
 
Photos vs. Virginia Tech
Photos by Tyler Rover
SET BY SET
Set 1 (GT 25 – VT 16)
- Virginia Tech got the jump on Georgia Tech in set one but the Jackets were quickly able to work their way back to a set one win as well as hold the Hokies’ offense to a .000 attack percentage. The Hokies held the set one lead through to 13-11, despite the Yellow Jackets tying the set 11-11. An exceptional eight-point scoring run from Georgia Tech took the lead 19-13 before a service error gave another point to Virginia Tech. The Jackets went on to outscore the Hokies, 6-2, for the set one win. Pierce and Fiedorowicz notched three kills respectively, with Fiedorowicz holding a .500 attack percentage. Soares saw a .455 assist percentage as she earned 10 assists on 22 attempts. Bieleski and Fiedorowicz led in digs with four apiece. Fiedorowicz was also present defensively at the net as she along with Pierce, Garibaldi, and Soares all saw a piece of a block.
 
Set 2 (GT 25 – VT 20)
- Set two began tight with the hosting Tech once again taking a small lead early (9-6). A three-point run for Georgia Tech tied the set at 17 apiece before the Hookies called a timeout. That timeout would prove to be of no avail as the Yellow Jackets went on to outscore the Hokies 8-3 for the set two win. Georgia Tech saw its most kills of the match during set two (17) as well as its highest attack percentage of the match (.324) while holding Virginia Tech to below a .200 attack percentage (.121) and only 10 kills. Garibaldi could not be contained on offense as she led both teams with six kills and a .857 attack percentage. Pierce (4), Mambu (3), and Fiedorowicz (3) saw a multi-kill set as well. Soares tallied another 14 assists as well as four digs.
 
Set 3 (GT 25 – VT 18)
- Set three saw the visiting Tech take an early lead with kills from Despiagne, an ace from Garibaldi, and an error from Virginia Tech (4-1). The Hokies were able to quickly bring the set within two points (5-3) but that would be the closest they got to tying the set as the Jackets continued to extend their lead. Despite battling to make the set 19-16, Georgia Tech record six of the final eight points of the set for a 25-8 set three win. Mambu, Despaigne, and Fiedorowicz collected three final kills while Soares stacked another 10 assists and five digs. Velez saw her best set defensively in the third with a team high six digs.
 
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets are set to continue their five-match road swing against Boston College on Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on Syracuse on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Virginia
Obama rallies for Democratic governor candidates in New Jersey, Virginia
														 
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Here are three reasons the 2025 elections could shift the balance of power and influence key players in both parties.
Former President Barack Obama spoke in Virginia and New Jersey on Nov. 1 in support of fellow Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill as both battle to become governor of their respective states.
Obama rallied for Spanberger at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, praising her for her experience in law enforcement and the CIA. The former president supported Sherrill in Newark, New Jersey, at Essex County College, saying she would be a “governor who thinks for herself” and would “bring people together and not divide them.”
Spanberger is challenging Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the gubernatorial race. Current Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, is nearing the end of his first four years leading the Commonwealth, and under a unique state law preventing governors from serving back-to-back terms, is barred from running in this year’s election.
Regardless of whether Spanberger or Earle-Sears wins on Nov. 4, Virginia will have elected its first female governor.
“The stakes are now clear,” Obama said during the rally in Virginia. “We don’t need to speculate about the dangers to our democracy. We don’t need to ask ourselves how much more coarse and mean our culture can become. Elections matter, and they matter to you.”
Who is Abigail Spanberger?
Spanberger, 46, previously served as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2025, according to her bio on her campaign website. She also worked at the CIA as an operations officer, gathering intelligence on nuclear proliferation and terrorism from 2006 to 2014, before then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed Spanberger to the Virginia Fair Housing Board in 2017, USA TODAY previously reported.
After defeating Republican incumbent and Tea Party member Dave Brat by just over 6,600 votes, Spanberger became the first Democrat to represent the district since 1970, according to her bio on her campaign website.
Spanberger then narrowly defeated Nick Frietas, a Republican member of the House of Delegates, in 2020 to be re-elected.
Who is Mikie Sherrill?
Sherrill, who previously served as a naval officer and as a federal prosecutor, represents a federal congressional district near Newark, New Jersey, according to her bio on the U.S. House of Representatives website.
The 53-year-old congresswoman grew up in Reston, Virginia, and after high school, she earned an undergraduate degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, her bio on the House’s History, Art and Archives website says. She was a Navy helicopter pilot, campaigning on her experience. In the video announcing her campaign for governor, she sported her Navy flight jacket.
After 10 years in the Navy, she earned a law degree from Georgetown University, went to work in litigation in New York City and became a federal prosecutor in New Jersey, according to her bio.
Sherrill, in 2018, won a once-solidly Republican congressional seat, beating Jay Webber. She won a closer 2020 re-election race, defeating Republican Rosemary Becchi with 53.3% of the vote to 46.7%.
Polls show likely voters favoring Spanberger
According to a Suffolk University poll of likely voters released on Oct. 23, Spanberger garnered 52% of the vote among survey respondents, followed by Earl-Sears’ 43%. Another 3% said they were undecided.
The poll, conducted between Oct. 19 and 22, surveyed 500 likely voters across Virginia. Spanberger has led the race in every major poll for months, including by as much as 10% in an Emerson College poll conducted in September.
Virginia has been heralded as a national indicator when it comes to its gubernatorial elections, held only a year into a presidential term. Since 1977, except for in 2013, the Commonwealth has elected a governor from the opposite party as the sitting U.S. President, USA TODAY previously reported.
November poll of likely voters shows slight lead for Sherrill
According to an AtlasIntel poll released Nov. 1, Sherrill had a slight lead over Ciattarelli. Specifically, the poll, which recorded responses from more than 1,600 likely voters in New Jersey from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30, showed Sherrill receiving 50.2% of the vote compared to opponent Jack Ciattarelli’s 49.3%, with a 2% margin of error.
Ciattarelli is a former member of the state legislative assembly who lost to current Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in a closer-than-expected 51.2% to 48% governor’s race in 2021. Murphy could not run again due to New Jersey’s two-term cap on consecutive stints as governor.
Although President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Ciattarelli, hasn’t joined him in person on the campaign trail, he did support the Republican candidate during a telephone rally on Oct. 24.
In a recent debate, Ciattarelli graded Trump an “A” for his performance so far in his second term, while Sherrill gave the president an “F.”
Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, Kathryn Palmer, Jennifer Borresen, Karissa Waddick, Phillip M. Bailey &Katie Sobko/ USA TODAY
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