Au Pair Pleads Guilty as Testimony Unfolds in Virginia Double Homicide Case

Thu Jan 15 2026 00:23:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Juliana Peres Magalhães testified against her former employer, Brendan Banfield, in a chilling case involving the murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, allegedly orchestrated to eliminate the victim's wife.

In a highly publicized trial in Fairfax, Virginia, Juliana Peres Magalhães, a Brazilian au pair, testified that she participated in a gruesome double homicide scheme alongside her lover and employer, Brendan Banfield, an IRS agent. The prosecutor's case reveals a sordid plot to kill Christine Banfield, while Magalhães admitted to previously denying her involvement before ultimately pleading guilty to manslaughter.

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A Brazilian au pair who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter testified against her former employer and love interest on Wednesday in a double homicide case that prosecutors claim was part of a calculated scheme to eliminate the man's wife.

Brendan Banfield faces charges of aggravated murder concerning the 2023 murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan at their northern Virginia home. He has pleaded not guilty and faces the possibility of life in prison if found guilty.

According to prosecutors, Banfield, an IRS agent, and Juliana Peres Magalhães started a romantic relationship while concocting a plan to dispose of Christine Banfield. They impersonated her on a social media platform for sexual fetishes, leading to a month-long plot that culminated in the rape and subsequent murders of Ryan and Christine, Magalhães testified.

Initially charged with murder herself, Magalhães pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2024 after cooperating with investigators, and is waiting for sentencing, which could be lenient due to her cooperation.

In recent court proceedings, Magalhães has revealed personal struggles through letters penned from jail expressing feelings of hopelessness. Her attorney has pressed her on the contradictions regarding her acceptance of a plea deal, highlighting her previously steadfast denials of involvement before changing her story.

Magalhães acknowledges the mental toll of her situation, reflecting her complex relationship with the case and its impact on her well-being.

Banfield, whose four-year-old daughter was present during the events surrounding the murders, faces additional charges of child abuse and felony child cruelty related to the case.