At a Glance
- Brendan Banfield faces murder charges for the 2023 deaths of his wife Christine and Joseph Ryan
- Former au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes pleaded guilty to manslaughter and claims she and Banfield plotted the killings
- Prosecutors say Banfield posed as his wife on a bondage site to lure Ryan with a violent sex role-play ruse
- Why it matters: The case hinges on whether Banfield orchestrated the murders to eliminate his wife while pursuing an affair with the live-in nanny
A Virginia man accused of using a BDSM ruse to lure his wife’s eventual killer is standing trial this week, with prosecutors painting a grim picture of infidelity, manipulation and murder.
Brendan Banfield, a former IRS criminal agent, is charged with murder in the February 23, 2023 deaths of Christine Banfield, a pediatric intensive care nurse, and Joseph Ryan, who was shot near the couple’s Herndon home.
The Affair and the Alleged Plot
Prosecutors told the court that Brendan began an intimate relationship with Juliana Peres Magalhaes in 2022 after she moved into the Banfield residence to care for their four-year-old daughter.
According to the indictment, Brendan created a profile on the fetish site Fetlife.com one month before the killings, impersonating Christine and initiating explicit conversations with Ryan. The discussions allegedly centered on a “consensual sexual encounter involving restraints used on her, her clothing being cut off with a knife he brought, and other violent sexual role play.”
Investigators say Brendan instructed Peres Magalhaes to phone Ryan while pretending to be Christine, setting the stage for the deadly encounter.
Night of the Killings
Ryan arrived at the Banfield house expecting the arranged role-play. Peres Magalhaes later told prosecutors that Christine was asleep when Ryan entered.
“We told him before that it was kinda part of the game,” she said in a recorded interview obtained by NBC4, “where the person gets in the bedroom and then I would act like scared, like, try to run or try to scream… it was like ‘part of the game.'”
Prosecutors allege the plan unfolded like this:
- Brendan provided Peres Magalhaes with a firearm
- She called Christine’s phone once Ryan was inside
- She immediately phoned Brendan, who drove home
- Brendan shot Ryan in the head and stabbed Christine
- Peres Magalhaes fired an additional round at Ryan after seeing him move
Cover-Up Attempt
After the killings, the pair allegedly tried to mislead detectives.
Peres Magalhaes told prosecutors that she and Brendan “reported the offense as if Joseph Ryan was an intruder who stabbed Christine Banfield.”
Fairfax County police quickly unraveled the story, arresting both suspects.
Legal Fallout
In October 2024, Peres Magalhaes pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Ryan’s death. As part of her plea, she gave a videotaped statement claiming Brendan masterminded the scheme to kill his wife so the two could continue their affair unimpeded.
She is expected to testify against Brendan, whose trial began with opening statements on Tuesday, January 13.
Brendan has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder charges. Defense attorneys have not yet outlined their strategy publicly.
Key Evidence
Prosecutors plan to present:
| Item | Alleged Significance |
|---|---|
| Fetlife chat logs | Show Brendan lured Ryan under Christine’s identity |
| Phone records | Demonstrate coordinated timing of calls |
| Firearm forensics | Match bullets to weapons supplied by Brendan |
| Peres Magalhaes’ testimony | Directly implicates Brendan as instigator |
What’s Next
The trial is scheduled to last several weeks. If convicted on all counts, Brendan faces life in prison.
Key Takeaways
- Prosecutors say Brendan exploited a BDSM fantasy to set a deadly trap
- The former au pair admits her role and points to Brendan as the architect
- Christine’s family faces the painful reality that her husband allegedly plotted her death
- The courtroom will ultimately decide whether the evidence proves premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt
