Virginia Man Guilty In Double Murder Plot Involving Au Pair

On February 2, 2026, a Fairfax County jury delivered a verdict that sent shockwaves through the quiet suburbs of Virginia: Brendan Banfield, a 40-year-old former IRS law enforcement officer, was found guilty of orchestrating a gruesome double murder that claimed the lives of his wife, Christine Banfield, and a stranger, Joseph Ryan. The case, which unfolded over several days of tense courtroom drama and nearly nine hours of jury deliberation, revealed a web of betrayal, deception, and chilling premeditation.

The murders, committed on February 24, 2023, were anything but a crime of passion. Prosecutors argued that Banfield—motivated by an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes—conspired to eliminate his wife and frame an innocent man. According to ABC News and WTOP, Banfield and Peres Magalhaes crafted a fake profile on the fetish website FetLife, impersonating Christine to lure Joseph Ryan to their Herndon home under the guise of a consensual fantasy scenario. Ryan, a 39-year-old stranger, was told he’d be participating in a staged encounter, unaware he was being set up as a scapegoat in a deadly plot.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, whose office led the prosecution, described Banfield’s actions as "monstrous." Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Descano emphasized the gravity of the crime: "There were obviously a lot of salacious details in this case that caused it to get a lot of attention, but at the end of the day, this case is about two people—two neighbors of ours that were murdered almost three years ago here in Fairfax County. We take that very, very seriously." Descano also underscored that, as the law stands, Banfield "will not walk free for the rest of his natural life." Sentencing is set for May 8, 2026, and Banfield faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Testimony from Juliana Peres Magalhaes proved pivotal. Initially charged with murder herself, the 25-year-old au pair struck a deal with prosecutors: she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in exchange for her cooperation and testimony against Banfield. Her account painted a damning picture. On the stand, she described how Banfield expressed his desire to "get rid of" his wife as early as October 2022. "At first, I thought he was joking," she recalled. But the plan soon became all too real. Peres Magalhaes explained that she and Banfield coordinated their online activities meticulously, posting to the fake FetLife profile only when Christine was home to establish alibis. On the morning of the murders, she left the house with the Banfields’ 4-year-old daughter, waiting in her car for Ryan to arrive, while Banfield waited at a nearby McDonald’s.

When Ryan entered the home, the trap was sprung. According to prosecutor Jenna Sands, Banfield shot Ryan in the head and then stabbed Christine seven times in the neck, leaving her to bleed out on the floor. Peres Magalhaes testified that she also shot Ryan in the chest. The pair then manipulated the crime scene, smearing Christine’s blood on Ryan’s body to make it appear as though he had attacked her in a violent home invasion. They called the police, hoping their plan would hold up under scrutiny.

But the evidence told a different story. Descano, speaking to 7News, revealed that the case hinged on blood analysis. "The case was about the blood," he said. "We knew that before we even charged this case." It was only after the blood evidence was processed that charges were brought against Banfield. Descano noted that Peres Magalhaes’s decision to cooperate came two months after Banfield’s indictment, reinforcing the prosecution’s reliance on forensic science over witness testimony alone.

Throughout the trial, the defense sought to cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative. Attorney John Carroll challenged the catfishing theory and suggested that Peres Magalhaes’s testimony was motivated by self-interest, claiming she "secured herself a deal that benefited her." Carroll also pointed out that Banfield’s DNA was not found on the knife used to kill Christine, and he questioned whether it was reasonable to believe that a brief affair could drive a man to murder his wife of 12 years. "Is it reasonable, after a six- to eight-week affair, that someone is going to try to get rid of their companion of 19 years, wife of 12 years? Is that reasonable?" Carroll asked jurors. Banfield himself took the stand, calling the allegations "absolutely crazy" and insisting that he acted in panic after finding his wife and Ryan in a dangerous situation.

Banfield’s version of events was that he returned home after being alerted by Peres Magalhaes about a stranger in the house. He claimed he found his wife naked with Ryan, who was allegedly armed with a knife. "I was extremely terrified," Banfield testified. "I don’t think I’ve ever been more panicked in my life." He said he fired his government-issued firearm at Ryan after seeing him stab Christine. However, prosecutors argued that the crime scene had been manipulated and that Banfield’s story was riddled with inconsistencies.

The jury was ultimately unconvinced by the defense’s arguments. In addition to two counts of aggravated murder, Banfield was found guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a felony and child endangerment—his young daughter was in the basement during the killings. Prosecutor Sands highlighted this in her closing argument, stating, "He left her in the basement, knowing that Joe Ryan was upstairs. He left her in the basement while he shot and killed Joe Ryan. He left her in the basement while he stabbed his wife."

Peres Magalhaes awaits sentencing on February 13, 2026, facing up to 10 years in prison, though her plea deal may result in time served. Descano acknowledged the significance of her testimony but emphasized that she is "still taking accountability for homicides." Meanwhile, the community grapples with the aftermath of a crime that has left a young child without parents and exposed the dark underbelly of what seemed an ordinary family life.

As the dust settles on this harrowing case, the verdict stands as a stark reminder that even the most elaborate schemes can unravel under the weight of evidence—and that justice, though sometimes slow, will not be outsmarted.