Juliana Peres Magalhães, a 24-year-old au pair from Brazil who was involved in a 2023 double homicide in Herndon, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Tuesday for the shooting death of Joseph Ryan. Authorities say Magalhães was having an affair with her employer.
Magalhães, who was charged in October 2023 with second-degree murder, took a plea deal in Fairfax County Circuit Court to reduce the charge. In exchange, she agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as they try her former employer, Brendan Banfield, for the murders of Banfield’s wife, Christine Banfield, and Ryan. Prosecutors also agreed to recommend that she be released on time served after Banfield’s trial, which is scheduled for February, The Washington Post reports.
Magalhães could face up to 10 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled to take place on March 21.
“Today’s agreement marks a significant step forward in this case, and it is an important development in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said. “Much of the information that led to this agreement cannot be made public at this time due to the upcoming criminal trial against the other defendant in this matter.”
On February 24, 2023, Magalhães and Banfield called 911 and said that they walked into the house at the 13200 block of Stable Brook Way in Herndon to see an intruder stabbing Christine Banfield. At the time, Brendan Banfield told police that he shot Ryan when he saw him stabbing his wife.
Police at the scene found Ryan near Christine Banfield upstairs in the home, suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Christine Banfield suffered from stab wounds to the upper body and died at the hospital.
Prosecutors in the case now say that Magalhães and Banfield were involved in an affair, and that the pair were involved in a scheme to kill Christine Banfield and frame Ryan for her murder. Prosecutors said that Brendan Banfield created a fake profile on a fetish website, FetLife, pretending to be his wife to contact Ryan and arrange a meeting at the Banfields’ home.
Banfield enlisted Magalhães to help by pretending to be Christine Banfield on a call with Ryan, to confirm the details of the meeting, prosecutors said.
Banfield was arrested in September on charges of aggravated murder in the killings of his wife and Ryan, the Associated Press reports.
Feature image, Fairfax County Police Department
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