She Helped Concoct A Twisted Plot To Kill Her Affair Partner’s Wife After Falling In Love With Him While Nannying For His Kid
Christine Banfield and her husband, Brendan Banfield, seemed like a happy couple from the outside.
Christine grew up on Long Island and pursued a nursing degree at Quinnipiac University, which she earned in 2007.
Meanwhile, Brendan studied accounting at St. Joseph’s University and started a children’s math tutoring center.
And in 2019, the pair relocated to Virginia following the birth of their daughter, Valerie.
There, Christine worked as an ICU nurse, and Brendan was an IRS criminal division special agent.
But in 2021, one of Christine’s patients, Rodrigo Valderrama, recalled how she wanted to hire an au pair from South America to live with her and Brandon and help care for their toddler.
“She wanted me to recommend restaurants in the area. That was her personality. She wanted the au pair to feel at home,” Rodrigo said.
Juliana Peres Magalhães was ultimately hired as an au pair by the couple. Yet on the morning of February 24, 2023, it was 22-year-old Juliana who dialed 911 and informed police about a horrific double murder at the Banfields’ Herndon, Virginia, home.
Authorities with the Fairfax County Police Department discovered 37-year-old Christine unclothed except for her socks with fatal, bleeding stab wounds to the neck. She ultimately died at a hospital later that same day.
Instagram – @julianna_peres – pictured above is Juliana
Additionally, the body of a 39-year-old man named Joe Ryan was nearby. He’d suffered gunshot wounds to his head and chest after arriving at the Banfields’ home that morning for a prearranged date.
Christine’s husband, Brendan, and the au pair, Juliana, were at the scene as well, along with two handguns, a bloody knife, and a bag containing adult accessories for the bedroom.
The couple’s daughter, Valerie, was found in the basement, unharmed.
Juliana was interviewed by police for nine hours and confessed to murdering Joe Ryan in the wake of a supposed attack on Christine.
Facebook – pictured above is Christine
She claimed that, while in the car with Valerie outside the Banfields’ house, she watched a man with a bag enter the home.
According to Juliana, Christine was alone inside, and she tried to call her. But Christine didn’t answer, so Juliana contacted Brendan.
Once he arrived home, he and Juliana entered the home and supposedly found Joe Ryan holding a knife to Christine’s throat while Christine was kneeling.
Juliana then claimed that Brendan, who carried a gun as a special agent, used his service revolver to shoot Joe Ryan in the head. He also yelled for Juliana to obtain another weapon from a safe in his bedroom.
Juliana said she was scared Joe Ryan would attack again and pointed a gun at him, shooting him in the heart and killing him.
Investigators were doubtful of Juliana’s story, and later, they found evidence that she and Brendan were actually having an affair.
Juliana had sent text messages about her “new love” from her cell phone. There were also photos of her and Brendan while they visited New York City.
Additionally, records reportedly showed that Juliana and Brendan had gone to a firing range together about two months before the double homicide. Brendan went back to the same range to buy the gun that Juliana ultimately used to murder Joe Ryan.
Juliana was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in Joe Ryan’s death on October 13, 2023.
On September 16, 2024, almost one year later, Brendan was indicted for murder in the deaths of both Christine and Joe Ryan.
Pictured above is a statement released by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano
Pictured above is the second part of the statement released by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano
The couple first contacted Juliana in 2021 while searching for an au pair, and according to one of Juliana’s friends from Brazil, she was eager to travel and learn English.
“She was excited because she just graduated from nursing classes and was coming to live with a nurse, so they had so much in common,” Juliana’s friend detailed.
However, Brendan had fallen in love with Juliana by August 2022 and, according to Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Clingan, shared “his desire to be rid of his wife.”
Just weeks prior to the double murder, Brendan allegedly visited an adult website, made a profile, and began talking to Joe Ryan.
Clingan said that days before Christine and Joe Ryan were killed, Brendan instructed Juliana to pose as Christine and call Joe Ryan to confirm “a consensual encounter involving restraints used on her, her clothing being cut off with a knife, and other violent [actions].”
This alleged plot led to the morning of February 24, 2023. Brendan was reportedly at a local McDonald’s at 7:17 a.m., waiting for Juliana to call once Joe Ryan arrived at the house for the prearranged date with Christine.
Once Brendan got back to the house, he and Juliana walked in through the basement, where they left Valerie before going upstairs.
At that point, Brendan allegedly announced “police officer” before he shot Joe Ryan in the head and stabbed Christine.
Afterward, Juliana shot Ryan again after he allegedly moved on the floor.
Since Brendan was not taken into custody until nearly one year after Juliana’s arrest, he lived with his daughter and his mother at home. His relationship with Juliana also became tense.
Fairfax County Police Department – pictured above is Brendan in his mugshot
“I hope you are not just staying with me because you are afraid I’m going to turn against you,” she reportedly said during a recorded jail call.
Juliana ultimately came to a deal with prosecutors on October 29, mere days before she was scheduled to go on trial for murder. She pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and agreed to cooperate with the police.
In exchange, she could possibly be released from custody based on the time she has already served.
Brendan’s trial is scheduled for February 2025.
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