Thread by @cathyrusson

LIVE at 10am ET: Au Pair Love Triangle Murder Trial — VA v. Brendan Banfield — Day One via @YouTubeyoutube.com/live/XFK0qIYfB…

We expect the Au Pair, Juliana Magalhaes, to take the stand this week as part of her plea deal in VA v Brendan Banfield. She pleaded guilty to Manslaughter.

This case involves an alleged catfishing scheme on a fetish website. VA v Brendan Banfield.

JOHNNY DEPP TRIAL JUDGE is the judge in VA v Brendan Banfield.

NOW: Opening statements in the Au Pair Love Triangle Murder Trial. #BrendanBanfield

Prosecution opening: Brendan Banfield created a profile on a fetish website using his wife's info. He convinced Joseph Ryan that he was Christine and she had a r*** fantasy. That she wanted him to come to her house and attack her, no matter how much she fought back.

Prosecution opening: Knowing that Christine had the day off, Brennan and Juliana (Au Pair) arranged a fake outing to the zoo for Banfield's daughter. Christine is still in bed, asleep at 6 a.m. Brendan takes her phone and their daughter downstairs. He chats with Joe Ryan to confirm a 7:20 am arrival for the execution of the fake rape liaison. #BrendanBanfield

Prosecution opening: Brendan disabled the door lock, preventing it from auto-locking, turned off Christine's phone, and put it in a drawer in the kitchen so Christine couldn't find it. Brendan drives to nearby McDonald's Julianna stays behind with the daughter in the car with a plan to call Brendan when she sees Joe arrive. Joe arrives, Julianna calls Brendan .

Prosecution opening: Brendan leaves McDonald's, drives home, and meets up with Julianna and the daughter. Juliana is nervous, screws up the plan, and calls 911 too early. She hangs up as soon as Brendan's giving her the signal that this wasn't the plan . They leave the daughter in the basement and sneak upstairs.

Prosecution opening: Brendan enters the bedroom first, shooting Joe in the head. He picks up the knife Joe had brought and stabbed Christine repeatedly in the neck. He directs Juliana to shoot Joe a second time with her gun. #BrendanBanfield

Prosecution opening statement: . With Christine, dead or dying, Brendan spends the next several minutes manipulating Joe Ryan's body. In the process, leaving Christine's blood on Joe's hands and pants. Julianna calls 911 this time as scheduled to report the intruder, and Brendan tells the police, I shot him, he (Joe) stabbed her.

The Au Pair will testify. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter, faces up to 10 years, and must testify in this trial. #BrendanBanfield

Defense opening statement: The murder of Christine Banfield by Joe Ryan occurred. on February 24, 2023. Julianna was arrested in Oct. 2023. She was held for another year before she gave the Commonwealth what they needed in return for a deal to time served. The whole reason she was arrested was to flip her against my client. #BrendanBanfield

Defense opening: In a correspondence that Julianna wrote to Brendan Banfield on January 1st, she said all they want is to get you in this case. They want me to say things that aren't true.

The crux of the defense's opening statement is that Joseph Ryan stabbed/killed Christine Banfield. Brendan Banfield entered, saw it happening, and shot Joseph Ryan in defense of his wife, Christine. They say the Au Pair is now lying because she lost hope being locked up so long, and the only family was out of country.

During the playing of the 911 call, Brendan Banfield appeared to wipe away tears. Believable or nah? (I already know your answer).

NEW: Julianna Magalhaes, the Au Pair, is expected to testify TODAY. Watch: #BrendanBanfield.

BREAKING: Co-defendant turned state's witness, family Au Pair, Juliana Magalhaes takes the stand. WATCH LIVE: #BrendanBanfield

Juliana Magalhaes testified that Brendan Banfield told her he wanted to kill Christine. He said he wanted full custody of their daughter, and if they divorced, Christine would have more money than he. She said Brendon made a profile on a "fet life" website using Christine's info for the profile.

The Au Pair testified that the website was to find other people interested in BDSM. Brendon and Juliana would post on there, posing as Christine, and private message people on the fetish site. She said sometimes she'd message people, sometimes Brendon. She said Christine was always home when they were doing this. They signed up for the service using an email, but made sure they used Christine's laptop so if there was a future investigation, it would connect to her and her laptop.

Magalhaes testified that Brendan told her he would need to change his routine a few weeks before so the alibi looked better. #BrendanBanfield

The fake profile on the FetLife site was made under the name "Anastasia". They had someone who wanted to meet at a hotel, Juliana testified that they wouldn't do that because they needed the person to come to the house.

After messaging with several different men on the fetish site, Juliana said Brendan finally picked Joe Ryan. She said he was comfortable with him, that he would come to the house and carry out the "fantasy".

Juliana spoke to Joe on the phone as the "Anastasia" profile. There was then this text exchange setting up the 'meet'. Joe:"I'm looking forward to Friday."

Here is a photo Joe sent via text showing a knife, chain, and bindings. Juliana said that when Brendan Banfield so that picture, he told her that it was not the type of knife he expected the guy to bring, that he expected a "pointy" knife.

Juliana testified that Brendan texted this to Joe (as Anastasia), saying the dog is friendly and will be in the basement.

Juliana testified that Brendon Banfield had the windows changed in the house, saying it was more "soundproof". Juliana went outside, and Brendan screamed from inside the master bedroom to see if the screams could be heard outside.

Juliana testified she and Brendan went into the master bedroom. Joe was on top of Christine. Christine saw them and she yelled, "Brendan, he has a knife." Brendan shot Joe in the head. Christine then looked at Juliana and told her to call 911. She called 911, and she said Brendan, at that point, gave her a hand gesture to hang up the phone. She hung up with 911. Brendan told Juliana to get a towel from the bathroom. She gave it to him and got on top of Christine and began stabbing her.

Juliana continued to testify that she told Brendan Joe was still moving (Brendan had already shot him in the head). She said Brendan didn't really have a reaction to that. Joe kept moving, so Juliana shot him. (Joe was shot in the head by Brendan and then shot a second time by Juliana.

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