FAIRFAX, Va. — A Brazilian au pair has admitted to manslaughter in connection with a complex double-murder plot intended to implicate another man in the fatal stabbing of her employer’s wife. This revelation came to light in court as part of a guilty plea made by Juliana Peres Magalhães on Tuesday, with prosecutors detailing the scheme that unfolded following the horrific event on February 24, 2023.
For several months after the murders, it appeared that Magalhães and her romantic partner, IRS agent Brendan Banfield, might have escaped justice, with new evidence emerging regarding their involvement. Christine Banfield, a pediatric intensive care nurse and mother of a four-year-old girl, suffered fatal stab wounds to her neck. Brendan and the couple’s live-in nanny confronted a man, promising him rough sexual encounters, ultimately leading to violence.
Magalhães was the first to call 911, her voice frantic and shaky as she narrated events at the scene in Herndon, Virginia. However, authorities were skeptical of her account and invested time in gathering evidence. In the meantime, the au pair moved into the primary bedroom shared by Brendan and Christine, sharing social media posts as a couple. Upon her arrest in October 2023, a photo of her with Brendan was found on the nightstand.
After being incarcerated for over a year, a forensic report on blood spatter provided critical insights, implicating Brendan in the cover-up. Prosecutors accused him of smearing Christine’s blood onto Joe Ryan, whom they attempted to frame for the stabbing. In September, Brendan was arrested on aggravated murder charges. His attorney claimed the evidence against him was inconclusive.
A turning point occurred when Magalhães decided to cooperate with investigators, leading up to her guilty plea just two weeks before her trial for second-degree murder. She acknowledged that she participated in Brendan’s plot to kill Christine and frame the outside assailant for the crime. When asked by Chief Judge Penney Azcarate if she was guilty, she quietly responded affirmatively.
Sentencing for Magalhães now awaits the trial of Brendan Banfield. The court indicated that depending on her level of cooperation, she could potentially receive a sentence equivalent to the time already served.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano stated that due to the ongoing trial against Brendan, many details underlying the plea agreement are currently confidential. Prosecutors outlined that on the day of the incident, Magalhães made multiple calls to the emergency services, the first of which was muffled and incoherent. About fifteen minutes later, she claimed an attacker had stabbed her friend; Brendan then took over the call, asserting he had shot the intruder attacking his wife.
Body-camera footage from responding officers captured Magalhães in a distressed state, struggling to breathe while stating, “There was a lot of blood.” She recounted that Brendan had a knife and had shouted for the suspect to drop it before claiming she herself shot the attacker in defense.
Prosecutors, however, alleged that her narrative was deceitful, part of the elaborate plot to misrepresent the events and distract from the truth behind Christine’s murder. Court documents indicate that Magalhães began working with the Banfield family in late 2021, and by August 2022, she had initiated a romantic relationship with Brendan. This relationship coincided with his plan to kill Christine, according to prosecutors.
The steps taken by Brendan included creating a fictitious profile for his wife on a social media platform catering to sexual interests, allowing him to interact with Ryan. Magalhães even assisted in pretending to be Christine during calls. However, conflicting emotions arose as she expressed doubts about the plan to Brendan but ultimately went along with it.
The au pair and Brendan reportedly left the young girl alone while they awaited Ryan’s arrival, armed as they prepared to execute the deadly scheme. Conversations recorded in jail revealed ongoing discussions regarding the dangers of betrayal and what it could mean for both Magalhães and Brendan if their plot unraveled.