Virginia Man Indicted for Alleged Double Murder Plot Involving Wife and Nanny
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A Northern Virginia man has been indicted on charges related to the deaths of his wife and another man, in what law enforcement describes as a complex murder conspiracy involving the family's au pair and a fake profile on a fetish website.
Brendan Banfield, 39, faces four counts of aggravated murder and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the February 2023 killings of his wife, Christine Ann Banfield, 37, and Joseph Nathan Ryan, 39. The indictments were announced this week by the Fairfax County Police Department in conjunction with the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
On the morning of February 24, 2023, both victims were found dead in the Banfield residence on Stable Brook Way in Herndon, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Initial reports left many questions unanswered, but authorities now claim to have unraveled the intricate plot behind the killings.
"Now, 570 days later, we know the deaths of Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield are both, in fact, murders," Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said, as reported by WUSA.
The investigation took a significant turn in October 2023 with the arrest of Juliana Peres Magalhaes, [Meh-GALL-ez] 24, the family's live-in nanny responsible for the Banfields' preschool-age daughter. Magalhaes was the first to call 911 on the day of the incident, initially reporting that her "friend was hurt." Shortly thereafter, Banfield called 911, claiming he had shot an intruder who had stabbed his wife.
However, inconsistencies in their stories raised suspicions. According to court documents, Magalhaes and Banfield alleged that they discovered Ryan in an upstairs bedroom with a critically injured Christine. Banfield admitted to shooting Ryan and directed Magalhaes to retrieve a second firearm, which she used to shoot Ryan again. Both initially denied any romantic involvement, but it was later confirmed that they were in a relationship.
Prosecutors allege that Banfield and Magalhaes conspired to eliminate Christine to continue their relationship uninterrupted. Investigators uncovered messages on a fetish website between Ryan and someone posing as Christine, arranging a meeting at the Banfield home on the day of the murders. Authorities believe Ryan was lured there under false pretenses.
"I suspected from the very beginning... that there was going to be a lot of twists and turns to this investigation," Chief Davis said. "It's my expectation that we will eventually be able to hold more than just one person accountable for this crime."
Further evidence presented includes newly framed photos of Banfield and Magalhaes together, displayed in Banfield's bedroom after the murders, suggesting a deepening relationship between the two.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano explained the multiple aggravated murder charges filed against Banfield. "When we took a look at what we intend to present at trial, we believe our presentation of evidence can possibly hit both of those different subsection elements," he said. "We wanted to cover all our bases and make sure the jury had every option that they could want when looking at the evidence."
The charges against Banfield now place the complex case firmly in the hands of the judicial system. Both he and Magalhaes are expected to face trial, where a jury will consider the intricate details of the alleged conspiracy.
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Brendan Banfield, 39, faces four counts of aggravated murder and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the February 2023 killings of his wife, Christine Ann Banfield, 37, and Joseph Nathan Ryan, 39. The indictments were announced this week by the Fairfax County Police Department in conjunction with the Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
On the morning of February 24, 2023, both victims were found dead in the Banfield residence on Stable Brook Way in Herndon, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Initial reports left many questions unanswered, but authorities now claim to have unraveled the intricate plot behind the killings.
"Now, 570 days later, we know the deaths of Joseph Ryan and Christine Banfield are both, in fact, murders," Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said, as reported by WUSA.
The investigation took a significant turn in October 2023 with the arrest of Juliana Peres Magalhaes, [Meh-GALL-ez] 24, the family's live-in nanny responsible for the Banfields' preschool-age daughter. Magalhaes was the first to call 911 on the day of the incident, initially reporting that her "friend was hurt." Shortly thereafter, Banfield called 911, claiming he had shot an intruder who had stabbed his wife.
However, inconsistencies in their stories raised suspicions. According to court documents, Magalhaes and Banfield alleged that they discovered Ryan in an upstairs bedroom with a critically injured Christine. Banfield admitted to shooting Ryan and directed Magalhaes to retrieve a second firearm, which she used to shoot Ryan again. Both initially denied any romantic involvement, but it was later confirmed that they were in a relationship.
Prosecutors allege that Banfield and Magalhaes conspired to eliminate Christine to continue their relationship uninterrupted. Investigators uncovered messages on a fetish website between Ryan and someone posing as Christine, arranging a meeting at the Banfield home on the day of the murders. Authorities believe Ryan was lured there under false pretenses.
"I suspected from the very beginning... that there was going to be a lot of twists and turns to this investigation," Chief Davis said. "It's my expectation that we will eventually be able to hold more than just one person accountable for this crime."
Further evidence presented includes newly framed photos of Banfield and Magalhaes together, displayed in Banfield's bedroom after the murders, suggesting a deepening relationship between the two.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano explained the multiple aggravated murder charges filed against Banfield. "When we took a look at what we intend to present at trial, we believe our presentation of evidence can possibly hit both of those different subsection elements," he said. "We wanted to cover all our bases and make sure the jury had every option that they could want when looking at the evidence."
The charges against Banfield now place the complex case firmly in the hands of the judicial system. Both he and Magalhaes are expected to face trial, where a jury will consider the intricate details of the alleged conspiracy.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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