A shocking double homicide has rocked the quiet suburban community of Herndon, Virginia, after a Brazilian nanny and her lover, the victim’s husband, were charged with orchestrating the brutal murders of a nurse and a man involved in a twisted sex plot.
The killings, which took place on February 24, 2023, have left the community horrified and shaken.
Juliana Peres Magalhães, 22, a nanny from Brazil, and her lover, 38-year-old Brendan Banfield, an IRS special agent, were arrested after the gruesome deaths of Brendan’s wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and 39-year-old Joe Ryan, a man who had been lured to the Banfields’ home for a prearranged sexual encounter.
Police arrived to find Christine, a beloved nurse who worked tirelessly during the pandemic, dead from stab wounds in a second-floor bedroom. Nearby, Ryan was found with fatal gunshot wounds.
The crime scene was described as “appalling” by Fairfax County Police, with a bloody knife, two handguns, and a bag of fetish accessories found near the bodies. Christine’s young daughter, Valerie, was found unharmed in the basement.
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Peres Magalhães, who had worked for the Banfields as an au pair since 2021, initially told police that she had discovered the scene after seeing Ryan with a knife over Christine.
She claimed she was forced to shoot Ryan in self-defense after Brendan shot him first.
However, investigators uncovered evidence of an affair between Peres Magalhães and Brendan, as well as disturbing messages detailing a planned murder scheme.
Court records show that Brendan Banfield had been communicating with Ryan on a bondage website and had even planned the murder under the guise of a kinky sex role-play.
In the days leading up to the killings, Brendan and Peres Magalhães set up a false scenario, convincing Ryan to visit for a violent sexual encounter while planning Christine’s murder.
The plot unfolded early that morning, with Brendan waiting at a nearby McDonald’s while Ryan arrived for the sex date.
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Once inside, Brendan allegedly called out “police officer” before shooting Ryan in the head. Peres Magalhães, terrified that Ryan might move, then shot him again, before assisting in stabbing Christine.
Months after the killings, in October 2024, Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors.
Meanwhile, Brendan Banfield was indicted for his role in both murders. In a series of recorded jail calls, Peres Magalhães could be heard expressing concerns that Brendan might turn on her, while he complained about her not keeping quiet.
The tragic deaths of Christine and Joe Ryan have left their families and friends devastated.
Christine’s friend, Rodrigo Valderrama, who remembered her as an angel during his recovery from COVID-19, expressed the immense loss to the community.
“She was unique,” he said of the compassionate nurse, who had dedicated herself to caring for others.
This case remains under investigation, and authorities are continuing to piece together the full details of the conspiracy that led to the tragic deaths.