Inside the Banfield Trial: Guilty Verdict

Summary

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48 Hours – Inside the Banfield Trial: Guilty Verdict

Host: Anne-Marie Green
Guest: Michelle Sigona (48 Hours Producer)
Air Date: February 3, 2026

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Overview

This episode dives deeply into the sensational "Banfield Trial," centering on the murder convictions of Brendan Banfield for the deaths of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joseph Ryan. The trial, dubbed the 'au pair affair,' is discussed in detail, highlighting courtroom dynamics, critical digital evidence, and conflicting testimonies—especially between Banfield and the family’s former au pair, Juliana Perez Magaliz. The episode features host Anne-Marie Green and 48 Hours producer Michelle Sigona, who together break down both the prosecution and defense narratives, offering insights into the investigation's twists, the emotional weight of the trial, and its lasting impact on the victims’ loved ones.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Background and Verdict

• [02:52] Anne-Marie Green introduces the case: Brendan Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder, child endangerment, and use of a firearm. The case was nicknamed "the au pair affair" due to Banfield’s extramarital relationship with their live-in nanny, Juliana Perez Magaliz.
• Juliana pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the shooting of Joseph Ryan and testified against Banfield.

2. Core of the Case: "He Said, She Said"

• [04:09] Michelle Sigona describes the trial as boiling down to the conflicting stories between Brendan and Juliana, noting only four people truly knew what happened, and two are deceased.
  • Memorable Quote:
    • "There are only four people who know what really happened, and unfortunately, two have died. This is all about Brendan versus Juliana." – Michelle Sigona [04:30]
• Prosecutor Jenna Sands argued that Brendan and Juliana colluded to kill Christine and Joe Ryan, creating fake online personas to lure Joe and stage the crime scene.
  • Quote:
    • "Brendan Banfield and Juliana Perez Magalis colluded to kill Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield... Then they called the police. Brendan let Juliana take the fall, and ... here we are, and it's his turn to be held accountable." – Jenna Sands [04:44]
• Brendan’s attorney, John Carroll, countered that Juliana fabricated her testimony to secure a plea deal.
  • Quote:
    • "Juliana made it up. She told the Commonwealth what they wanted... She told this lie to secure herself a deal that benefited her." – John Carroll [05:37]

3. Juliana's Testimony and Alleged Plot

• Juliana was hired in 2021 to care for the Banfield's daughter, Valerie. She claimed the affair with Brendan began in August 2022, and, under his direction, a fake digital identity was crafted to lure Joseph Ryan for a staged violent sexual encounter intended to frame him for Christine’s murder ([06:13]).
• The prosecution believed digital evidence—FetLife and email accounts—supported Juliana's version, while the defense argued one couldn’t prove who was behind the screens ([07:28]).

4. Brendan Banfield Takes the Stand

• [07:55] Unusually, Brendan testified in his own defense, his first complete account since the crime.
• He claimed Juliana initiated the affair, describing it as just "an affair," not a serious relationship, and further alleged Christine also had affairs, including one involving BDSM ([08:58]). Michelle points out these claims are unsubstantiated and criticized the defense for attacking the victim’s character.
  • Quote:
    • "It felt like that part about Christine having affairs was just sort of slipped in... The defense can make any kind of claim about a victim. And unfortunately, Christine is not here to be a voice and to defend herself." – Michelle Sigona [09:58]

5. The Nature of the Relationship & Murder Plot

• Brendan minimized the seriousness of his relationship with Juliana, arguing the affair was too new (6-8 weeks) to have plotted murder ([13:08]).
  • Quote:
    • "It's an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious... that a plan was made to get rid of my wife. That is absolutely crazy." – Brendan Banfield (via attorney) [12:39]
• Prosecutors pressed on the love letters from Brendan to Juliana, suggesting deeper feelings than he admitted ([12:13]).
• Discrepancy over gunshots and murder preparations at the shooting range: Brendan claimed Juliana just "tagged along" while prosecutors saw it as part of the plot ([13:55]).

6. Events of the Day: Who Did What, When

• On the day of the murders (Feb 24, 2023), the prosecution argued Brendan and Juliana staged a zoo trip for their daughter as a cover, lured Joe to the house, and manipulated events via digital communication ([18:02]).
• A surprise witness, Brendan's acting supervisor, testified to refute Brendan's alibi about a scheduled work meeting ([18:59]).
• Juliana claimed she parked nearby to keep the house in view while orchestrating the set-up. Contrarily, Brendan described innocently going to McDonald's and not coordinating with Juliana ([20:53]).

7. Contradictory Accounts: The Murders Themselves

• Juliana's testimony: She saw Brendan shoot Joe and stab Christine, then shot Joe again herself.
• Brendan's account: Upon hearing “sexual noises,” he went to the bedroom, saw Joe with a knife at Christine’s neck, tried to de-escalate, watched Joe stab Christine, then shot Joe ([21:43]–[22:07]).
  • Quote:
    • "I was extremely terrified. I don't know that I've ever been more panicked in my life." – Brendan Banfield [21:43]
  • He was unclear about some details, including not seeing the knife clearly due to Christine's hair, and later claimed Juliana shot Joe with his gun.
• Prosecution grilled Brendan on why he did not act sooner to protect Christine, why he didn't use his handcuffs, and inconsistencies in his actions as a trained law enforcement officer ([24:12]–[25:45]).
  • Quote:
    • "You just couldn't pull the trigger, could you?" – Jenna Sands [25:23]
    • "I was afraid." – Brendan Banfield [25:26]

8. Crucial Evidence—911 Call Timing

• The sequence of 911 calls became pivotal. Juliana's initial 911 call, allegedly made too early, contradicted Brendan’s testimony. An expert tried to verify from audio (dog whining) when and where the call was placed ([27:51]).

9. Child Endangerment and Emotional Impact

• Valerie, the Banfields’ four-year-old daughter, was in the basement during the murder. Prosecution challenged why Brendan didn’t ensure Valerie’s safety ([28:32]).
  • Quote:
    • "Why would you not get your child out of that situation?... At any point, she could have walked up the stairs at any point." – Michelle Sigona [29:01]

10. Reflections on the Trial and the Victims

• Michelle Sigona notes Brendan’s awkward presence on the stand and highlights Christine’s memory as a mother, nurse, and beloved friend ([29:51], [30:42]).
  • Quote:
    • "Christine, from everything I've been able to learn, was a nurse, she was a mom, you know, a dedicated mother... This is such a tragedy." – Michelle Sigona [30:42]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the essence of the case:
  "This is all about Brendan versus Juliana." – Michelle Sigona [04:30]
• Prosecutor’s narrative:
  "They created accounts... shot him. Brendan stabbed Christine, let her bleed out on the floor, and then dripped, smeared, and wiped her blood on Joseph Ryan's body to make it look like he had attacked Christine." – Jenna Sands [04:44]
• On intrusive defense tactics:
  "The defense can make any kind of claim about a victim. And unfortunately, Christine is not here to be a voice and to defend herself." – Michelle Sigona [09:58]
• On the murder plot timeline:
  "At this point, our relationship is maybe six to eight weeks old... I think that it's an absurd line of questioning..." – Brendan Banfield [13:08]
• Confronting the accused:
  "You just couldn't pull the trigger, could you?" – Jenna Sands [25:23]
  • "I was afraid." – Brendan Banfield [25:26]
• On the tragedy for the family:
  "I think about Valerie, I think about this little girl growing up without her mom. And it is... heartbreaking." – Michelle Sigona [30:42]

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Key Timestamps

• 02:52 – Case introduction and verdict announcement
• 04:09 – Breakdown: The conflicting narratives between Brendan and Juliana
• 06:13 – Details of the alleged plot and digital evidence
• 08:06–13:44 – Brendan's testimony, his perspective on the affair, and the murder plan
• 17:45–19:58 – Chronology of events the day of the murders, witness testimonies
• 20:53–23:57 – Differing accounts of the murders; analysis of 911 calls and forensic details
• 24:03–27:51 – Prosecutor’s intense cross-examination, 911 call timing disputes
• 28:32–29:35 – Discussion on child endangerment and parental responsibility
• 29:51–31:17 – Michelle Sigona’s courtroom observations and Christine’s legacy

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Tone & Style

The conversation is direct, candid, and at times emotionally raw, balancing sharp legal analysis with sensitivity to the tragedy at the heart of the case. The hosts employ a journalistic yet compassionate tone throughout, digging into both procedural complexities and the human toll.

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For listeners seeking in-depth understanding of the Banfield trial, this episode delivers a nuanced narrative, exposes the challenges of truth-seeking amid conflicting testimonies, and honors the enduring pain of those left behind.

Transcript

[John Carroll]

Hi 48 hours listeners. Quick programming note Our postmortem for the sneak attack on Caitlin Lyon drops tomorrow, but 48 hours plus subscribers can hear it right now. Today, we're bringing you a timely episode with our special coverage taking you inside the Banfield trial.

[Ann Marie Green]

Verdict Here is 48 Hours correspondent Ann Marie Green.

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[Emory Cohen]

Some of this reporting is disturbing, so please listen and watch with care. Welcome to a special episode of the 48 Hours podcast Inside the Banfield Trial. I'm your host, 48 Hours correspondent Ann Marie Green, and we have a verdict in the case of of Brendan Banfield. He's the man charged with the aggravated murder of his wife Christine and another man, Joseph Ryan. On February 24, 2023, Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder. He was also found guilty of child endangerment and the use of a firearm. So this case was dubbed the au pair affair because of Brendan's relationship with the Banfield's live in nanny from Brazil, Juliana Perez Magaliz. Now, Juliana pleaded guil to involuntary manslaughter for the shooting of Joseph Ryan and cooperated with the government testifying against Brendan. So here to discuss this verdict along with Brendan's own testimony is 48 Hours producer Michelle Sigona. Michelle, you were in the courtroom as all the events unfolded, and we are so happy to have you here.

[Michelle Sigona]

Emory, it's great to see you. Thank you so much for having me.

[Emory Cohen]

So there was a lot of evidence in this case, you know, a lot of digital evidence, a lot of physical evidence, certainly testimony from law enforcement, testimony from experts. But really, at the end of the day, it really felt like this was a case of he said, she said, Brendan versus his former lover, Juliana.

[Michelle Sigona]

There are only four people who know what really happened, and unfortunately, two have died. This is all about Brendan versus Juliana. Here's prosecutor Jenna Sands. Final argument about what happened.

[Jenna Sands]

Brendan Banfield and Juliana Perez Magalis colluded to kill Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield. That makes sense. They created accounts, they chatted up potential victims, they got Joe Ryan into the house, and then they shot him. Brendan stabbed Christine, let her bleed out on the floor, and then dripped, smeared, and wiped her blood on Joseph Ryan's body to make it look like he had attacked Christine. Then they called the police. Brendan let Juliana take the fall, and it took a little bit of doing, but here we are, and it's his turn to be held accountable.

[Michelle Sigona]

Whereas Brendan's attorney, John Carroll, said this.

[John Carroll]

Juliana made it up. She told the Commonwealth what they wanted.

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[John Carroll]

And without question, they just took it as their story. She told this lie to secure. Secure herself a deal that benefited her.

[Emory Cohen]

So we talked the other week about Juliana's testimony. Everyone was really surprised that she was amongst the first people, first witnesses to testify. Can you remind our listeners, though, of this kind of elaborate, alleged plot?

[Michelle Sigona]

Absolutely. The Banfields hired Juliana to care for their daughter Valerie. This was in 2021. Juliana was in her early 20s at the time. And as part of the au pair arrangement, Juliana lived in their Northern Virginia home. She said she started a relationship with Brendan in August 2022, and he was the one who came up with the plan to kill his wife. That October, she says they created a fake email account for Christine along with a fake account on a fetish app called FetLife. The idea was to lure someone to the house under the pretense of aggressive sex with a knife, but then frame him for the stabbing murder of Christine. Joseph Ryan was the man prosecutors say they targeted. Now, prosecutors also said that Brendan planned to then enter the bedroom and kill the, quote, intruder with a gun.

[Emory Cohen]

And so a big part of proving or disproving this whole thing, depending on whether you're on defense of prosecution, was about this catfishing component of it, right? Because part of the argument was, well, it was Christine online making all this, these arrangements. Or was it?

[Michelle Sigona]

You're right. There were days and days of testimony highlighting just about every login to the account and every message that was sent on FetLife. Also clear, it was hard to prove who was using those devices. So even if it was Christine's phone or laptop, the prosecution made the point that you couldn't prove it was her behind the device.

[Emory Cohen]

So, to my surprise, Brendan took the stand. I say to my surprise because often defendants in murder trials don't, but you, you never know.

[Michelle Sigona]

And the prosecutor emphasized that this is the first time anyone has heard from Brendan from his story. Basically, from start to finish, he did not give a full statement at the scene at the hospital in the days and weeks and months after his wife and Joseph Ryan died inside of his own bedroom. And you portions from him in a 911 call or maybe, you know, some clips from a police body cam, but that's it. This is the first time from start to finish, we're hearing this. And Brendan said he wanted to tell his story earlier at Juliana's trial, but then she took a plea and he really didn't have an opportunity.

[Emory Cohen]

So let's dig into what he said when he was testifying. I want to talk about the relationship he had with Juliana. How does he say it began? Who was responsible for starting this affair, according to him?

[Michelle Sigona]

According to Brendan, he says Juliana is the one who started making advances towards him. He went into great detail about how they started this physical relationship with one another inside the home. He also said Juliana. Basically what he told her was, this is just an affair and that he had had previous affairs and this would not change his relationship with Christine. Christine was his partner for 19 years. Twelve of those years, they were actually married. And right now, you can hear from his lawy, John Carroll.

[John Carroll]

Now, was Christine aware of your affair? I don't believe she was aware of the affair between me and Juliana. Was she aware of your previous affairs? She was aware of at least two previous affairs. Okay. And likewise, were you aware of her affairs? Yes, I was also aware that she had affairs.

[Emory Cohen]

So this is the first time we're hearing this. Brendan says that Christine had affairs as well.

[Michelle Sigona]

It felt like that part about Christine having affairs was just sort of slipped in, mentioned in passing very quickly. And that is the real unfortunate part in these types of cases. Anne Marie, you know this. The defense can make any kind of claim about a victim. And unfortunately, Christine is not here to be a voice and to defend herself. Brendan testified she had a previous BDSM affair when they lived in New York, was interested in sexual violence. Again, his claims and that she was a sexual assault nurse examiner setting her up, that if she had some sort of possible history in engaging in violent sex relations. But it was something he said he had not had any interest in pursuing. Again, this is his version of events. I will tell you that Prosecutor Jenna Sands said. And this was during closings when I was in the courtroom, that there was no digital history of Christine using dating websites, fetish sites, or talking to other men prior to this alleged plot. She said there was zero evidence of Christine engaging in rough sex. And in addition, we learned Christine has a blood disorder, and her father testified to what she went through as a child, all the way up to an adult. So the prosecution is like, why would Christine invite someone into her home, her family home, with a knife, knowing that if she were to be cut, it could be a serious situation?

[Emory Cohen]

So the last time we spoke about this case, for the last episode, you know, we talked about Brendan and Juliana being in love like this. You know, like that was part of kind of the motivation for this plot. But then Brendan seemed to be really downplaying the relationship. I mean, what. What's that about?

[Michelle Sigona]

And the prosecutor challenged him. You better believe that on that cross examination.

[Emory Cohen]

Did you love her?

[John Carroll]

There was points that I told her that I loved her.

[Jenna Sands]

You told her that you love her, but you didn't actually love her?

[John Carroll]

I would say. I would say that I had feeling that I had feelings for her, but they weren't nearly as strong as feelings for my wife.

[Michelle Sigona]

The Commonwealth even admitted multiple lengthy love letters for the jury to see. This was after Juliana was arrested, professing his love for her. One letter even mentioned he was obsessed with her happiness.

[Emory Cohen]

So in regards to this alleged plot, Brendan's attorney just flat out asked him if he created a plan with Juliana to Kill his wife Christine. Here's his response.

[John Carroll]

No, there was no plan. At this point, our relationship is maybe six to eight weeks old. I think that it's an absurd line of questioning for something that is not serious, that we're good, that a plan was made to get rid of my wife. That is absolutely crazy.

[Emory Cohen]

So six to eight weeks, first off, I did not know it was just six to eight weeks, but I. What is he inferring? That that's just too short of a time to plot with your lover, to kill your wife that they need? You know, maybe if the relationship had been six months longer, that would be a reasonable argument.

[Michelle Sigona]

I think that's exactly what he's trying to say, is that this relationship is too short. They were just scratching the surface, and that, you know, it wasn't serious. So why would he concoct this plan and move forward with it and get rid of his wife of 19 years for someone he's not serious with?

[Emory Cohen]

That's not the strongest argument. I mean, when is there ever a reason to kill your wife? I mean, if it's a bad relationship, get out of it. Divorce, just sort of the normal stuff.

[Michelle Sigona]

Yeah, that's right. Exactly. And I was also struck by Brendan's description of Juliana choosing to be with him whenever she could. This is what he says. And the reason why I bring this up is because it comes up when. When Brendan is going to the shooting range to practice for his job as an IRS agent. He has a gun as part of his job, and prosecutors allege Juliana went to the range to practice shooting as part of the murder plot. Brendan says she was just tagging along.

[John Carroll]

In having her come to the range. Was there any plan that she was going to back you up on? Some plan? I mean, there was no plan at this point. When we had gone to the range, there was none of the suspect email account. There was no FetLife account. There was no telegram messages. None of that existed at the point that. At the point that we went to the range. Okay, now, did FetLife or Gmail or Telegram ever exist for you? I did not know about them until. I did not know about them until after Christine died. I didn't get to really. I didn't get to see them until after Juliana's arrest.

[Emory Cohen]

So there's no plan at this point. It's a weird way to say it.

[Michelle Sigona]

It is weird.

[Emory Cohen]

So if Brendan is suggesting that this thing with Juliana is an affair, it hasn't really been going on that long. Just what was kind of the status of their relationship at the time of the killings.

[Michelle Sigona]

Well, this is very interesting. Brendan says Juliana had broken up with him several Times and on February 24, they weren't together. He claims she was upset when he would spend time with Christine and she ended their relationship in the days leading up to this deadly incident.

[Emory Cohen]

That is really fascinating.

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[Michelle Sigona]

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[Michelle Sigona]

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[Emory Cohen]

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[Emory Cohen]

So the last time we spoke, we played some sound from the prosecutor, and the prosecutor really laid out kind of the elaborate choreography that unfolded on February 24, the day of the killing. I think it's worth it, Michelle, to kind of like go over how all these things unfolded.

[Michelle Sigona]

Absolutely. So the prosecutor said that Brendan and Juliana had arranged this fake outing at the zoo for his daughter Valerie. Juliana would be the one supposedly taking her there. And around 6am Brendan allegedly messaged Joe Ryan Posing as Christine to confirm a 7:20am arrival. They say Christine was asleep. Now, Brendan said he woke up early. He got ready. He saw Christine awake with her phone. He said he never touched her devices. And as for the zoo outing, he says Christine was the one who had arranged for Juliana and their daughter to go. And. And this was not the other way around. He said he had a big day at work, meeting about a case, and his manager would be there.

[Emory Cohen]

So that brings us to a surprise witness who testified after Brendan, it was his acting supervisor at the time of the killings.

[Jenna Sands]

Mr. Banfield testified that he had a scheduled meeting with his manager. That would have been yourself or Juliet Jones. Is that correct?

[John Carroll]

Those are the only two people that I can look but have been his manager.

[Michelle Sigona]

Yes. Okay.

[Jenna Sands]

And she was out of the country, and you were in Baltimore and not planning on meeting him, correct?

[John Carroll]

Correct.

[Michelle Sigona]

This surprise witness also confirmed on the stand he was not interviewed by police on the week that the investigators were out at his office interviewing co workers. I. I think he may have been away or. Or out of town. So he was not able to interview with police at the time. So he did not give them a formal statement. But after hearing Brendan Banfield testify on the stand, that's when this co worker, who was the supervisor at the time, came forward and wanted to let everyone know that he did not have a meeting that morning and he was in Maryland. Mm.

[Emory Cohen]

Okay. So let's talk about the leaving of the house. Cause Juliana testified, and she said that she left the house with Valerie and she parked nearby so that she could have a clear view of the house. Brendan goes to a nearby McDonald's. Juliana says that when she sees Joe Ryan arrive at the house, she calls Brendan at the McDonald's, and all three of them, Brendan, Juliana, and Valerie, return to the house, and they all enter through the basement. And this is when Juliana testified that Brendan went upstairs to the bedroom and she followed. She said that she saw him shoot Joe and then stab Christine. Then she shot Joe a second time. This is all according to her testimony. What did Brendan say? How did he describe this?

[Michelle Sigona]

He said he went to the McDonald's, he picked up breakfast on the way to work. He was in the restroom for seven minutes. And also he sat in the parking lot and apparently ate his food, then went inside. When he got a panicked call from Juliana, he tried calling Christine, but it went straight to voicemail. Brendan said when he came home, he went. He took a direct route home. When he got there, he went inside. He heard what he believed to be sexual noises and assumed Christine was having another affair. This is again, according to Brendan. But then sounds from Christine sounded painful, and that's when he decided to go upstairs. He had his gun from work as well as his handcuffs. This is when he said he encountered Joseph Ryan with his wife.

[John Carroll]

You saw a knife there. What were you thinking in terms of Joe Ryan with a knife to Christine's neck? I was extremely terrified. I don't know that I've ever been more panicked in my life.

[Michelle Sigona]

At the same time, he admitted he really couldn't see Christine's neck due to her hair being thick and curly. But he said he believed she had blood in her hair. He also said he tried to de Escalate the situation, telling Joe to drop the knife. He says then he saw Joe forcefully stab Christine, causing Christine to fall to the ground. And that's when Brendan said he shot the gun at Joe. Brendan says he saw a bloody wound on Christine's neck and started applying pressure at this point. But by this time, Brendan says he noticed Juliana in the room. He claims he asked her to call 911 and to watch Joe as he tended to Christine. He said Juliana stepped away to the master bathroom.

[John Carroll]

Christine told me that she was bleeding out and that. That she was sorry and that she loved me. And what did you tell her? It was at this point that. That there was another shot. And I looked up, and I saw that Juliana had my other firearm. And.

[Michelle Sigona]

I.

[John Carroll]

Was stunned that Juliana had shot.

[Michelle Sigona]

And Brendan said he was initially unaware that Juliana got the gun from the safe in the bedroom closet. Now, this is different than what we heard from Juliana, who said he gave her the gun before leaving the McDonald's that morning, and she kept it in her pocket.

[Emory Cohen]

Okay, so then how does the prosecution handle cross examination with Brendan?

[Michelle Sigona]

Prosecutor Jenna Sands did not hold back Emory. She challenged him on his version of the stabbing and of the shooting.

[Jenna Sands]

So how long do you think passed between your instructions to Joe Ryan to put down the knife, let her go, let her go, let her go. And your wife is bleeding before you shot him?

[John Carroll]

Not that long. Under a minute.

[Jenna Sands]

Under a minute. Okay, so if we were to count out 60 seconds, 1, 2, 3, so on and so forth, that would be a minute. And in that time, you did not shoot him.

[John Carroll]

I did not shoot him, and I did not shoot him prior to Christine going to the floor.

[Jenna Sands]

Okay. And at that point in time that she's going to the floor, we're at least six stab wounds in, right?

[John Carroll]

To the best of my knowledge, it's hard to it's hard to see. Also, I'm aiming down my sight at Joe, and so I'm not focused exactly on Christine. You have a narrowed view when you're aiming down. When you're aiming down a firearm and.

[Jenna Sands]

You just couldn't pull the trigger, could you?

[John Carroll]

I was afraid.

[Michelle Sigona]

Okay.

[Jenna Sands]

And you are a trained law enforcement officer, correct?

[John Carroll]

I am, but I have. My shooting record is on the lower end. For the qualification, he repeated that he.

[Michelle Sigona]

Was worried about hitting Christine by mistake. The prosecutor then asked, well, why didn't he use his handcuffs on Joe after he did shoot him? And Brendan said, he probably should have done that. That's what he admits to.

[Emory Cohen]

And the prosecutor really also went after him about how he tended to Christine's wounds.

[Jenna Sands]

You did not, at that point in time, use the towel, the blanket, the sheet, or the other blanket to staunch the flow of blood from her neck.

[John Carroll]

It wasn't until I was instructed to by 911 to do that. Pressure is a different form of treatment that we were taught, and that is also what Christine was doing. I believe that that was the best course of action at the time, to.

[Jenna Sands]

Put pressure on the wound that was so large that your finger went inside of it. Is that correct?

[John Carroll]

Yes.

[Jenna Sands]

Okay. And when first responders arrived, you agree you're on video holding her neck with your bare hand, correct?

[John Carroll]

I think so.

[Emory Cohen]

So speaking of first responders, I. I know that the timing of the 911 calls was really sort of crucial to the prosecution's case. Juliana testified that after Brendan shot Joe, Christine said Juliana called 91 1. At that point, Juliana says that she called 911 for the first time, but then Brendan gestured to her to hang up. So she hangs up really quickly. This is kind of crucial. But 911 had already made contact at that point. She calls back several minutes later after Brendan gave her the go ahead to call 91 1. This is probably where the plot kind of falls apart. She called 911 too early. This is important testimony because it directly contradicts what Brendan said at trial.

[Michelle Sigona]

Brendan said he brought Juliana and Valerie and their dog to the basement while he moved upstairs to the master bedroom to investig. He believes Juliana made that first quick 911 call while she was downstairs in the basement and he was upstairs. And the defense introduced an expert who testified they identified the dog's whining in a portion of that call. But he said he did tell Juliana to call 911 later after she came up to the bedroom. And this was after he had shot Joe Ryan.

[Emory Cohen]

And then we should remind everyone that Valerie, their young daughter, is in the basement this entire time.

[Michelle Sigona]

It's. It's really hard to think about. And the prosecutor asked if Brendan was thinking of his daughter, why didn't he tell Juliana to leave the house with Valerie or use the lock on the outside of the basement door to make sure that they wouldn't be able to go upstairs? He claimed that at the moment he was just focused on Christine and that Valerie from what he thought was safe in the basement.

[Emory Cohen]

Yeah. Why would you want your daughter to, to hear any of this, to possibly see any of this?

[Michelle Sigona]

And the prosecutor did say this. You have a gun, you're going up. Obviously you're afraid for your safety in some sort of sense or regard to all of this. And why would you not get your child out of that situation? Why would you? And 4 year olds are curious. Look, I have a 2 year old, a 6 year old and a 10 year old and let me tell you, kids are curious. They want to know what's happened. If they hear something, they are going to the noises, they're going to figure out whatever is happening. And I mean, at any point, she could have walked up the stairs at any point.

[Emory Cohen]

It's absolutely, it's absolutely terrifying. I mean, you've had, you've sat through, you've sat through a number of very interesting trials. We talked about what Brendan testified to, but how was he on the stand?

[Michelle Sigona]

I will tell you that it was a little distracting because he would answer the defense, his defense attorney, and glance at him and then kind of glance over to the right at the jury and then kind of look back. His, you know, his eyes were shifting all over the place and it seemed like he was trying to keep, you know, his sense of thoughts going. But, you know, it was hard for him, I think, at times, to be quite honest. And again, this is the first time we're hearing of anything in full totality. So there's nothing to compare it to.

[Emory Cohen]

And then my other question was about Christine. Could you get a sense of who Christine was? I mean, she has a courtroom filled with her supporters as well. Who was Christine?

[Michelle Sigona]

Christine, from everything I've been able to learn, was a nurse, she was a mom, you know, a dedicated mother. She was a friend, she was a daughter. She was someone who seemed to enjoy life. And this is such a tragedy. And I think about Valerie, I think about this little girl growing up without her mom. And it is. I mean, it is heartbreaking and it's hard to think about what her parents and all of her loved ones are going through and now reliving this again. Really? Three years later?

[Emory Cohen]

Absolutely. They must be thinking, how can this be our lives? How can this be the story that our family, you know, has to tell?

[Michelle Sigona]

Sad story.

[Emory Cohen]

Really sad. Michelle, it's always great to have someone who's following the case, you know, from beginning to end, who's been in the courtroom.

[Michelle Sigona]

So.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Emory Cohen]

I really appreciate your time.

[Michelle Sigona]

Thank you so much.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

Foreign.

[Michelle Sigona]

I'm back. I'm really back.

[John Carroll]

School spirits returns.

[Michelle Sigona]

Why am I here?

[John Carroll]

Not dead.

[Michelle Sigona]

Right.

[Emory Cohen]

This place is an absolute death trap.

[John Carroll]

We need to get out of here now. School Spirits new season. Now streaming only on Paramount plus.

[Michelle Sigona]

I'm back. I'm really back.

[John Carroll]

School spirits returns.

[Michelle Sigona]

Why am I here?

[John Carroll]

Not dead. Right.

[Emory Cohen]

Disruption on this campus will not be tolerated.

[John Carroll]

I look crazy.

[Michelle Sigona]

It's because that's how I feel. I don't know how to live in two worlds.

[John Carroll]

Secrets lurk. There are others beneath the surface. They're not like us. We need to get out of here now. School Spirits new season. Now streaming only on Paramount plus.