Virginia prosecutors have arrested a former IRS employee, Brendan Banfield, in connection with the 2023 murders of his wife, Christine Banfield, and an unknown man named Joseph Ryan in Herndon, Virginia. The couple’s 22-year-old Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, is also accused of involvement in the murders. According to reports, blood-splatter analysis was a key piece of evidence that led to the arrests. Forensic investigators concluded that Ryan and Christine’s bodies were moved after death, with Ryan’s arms being found with Christine’s blood on them.
John Carroll, an attorney for Brendan and Peres Magalhaes, argued in court that the prosecutors’ evidence does not definitively prove that Brendan killed his wife and Ryan. Despite this, a judge denied bail for Brendan at a recent hearing. He is facing charges of aggravated murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Magalhaes, who was arrested eight months after the killings, is also facing similar charges. Police Chief Kevin Davis described the deaths of Ryan and Christine as murders during a press conference, over a year after the incident occurred.
Initial reports of the incident in February 2023 suggested that Magalhaes discovered Ryan holding Christine at knifepoint in the Banfields’ home. Both Magalhaes and Brendan admitted to shooting Ryan, with prosecutors alleging that a computer at the residence was linked to an account on a sexual fetish website. Ryan also had an account on the site and had been communicating with someone accessing it from the Banfield’s computer. Magalhaes was arrested in October 2023 after moving into the couple’s bedroom and placing a framed photo of herself with Brendan on a nightstand. Her trial is scheduled to take place in November.
The investigation into the murders revealed that Brendan and Magalhaes were involved in a romantic relationship at the time of the killings. Magalhaes initially told police that she left the home to take the Banfields’ daughter to the zoo, only to return after realizing she had forgotten lunches inside the house. She claimed to have seen an unknown man, Ryan, holding Christine at knifepoint when she and Brendan re-entered the home. The details of what transpired inside the house that day remain unclear. The couple was charged with aggravated murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony after the forensic evidence pointed towards their involvement in the deaths.
The case has rocked the affluent Virginia suburb of Herndon, with residents shocked by the nature of the double murders and the involvement of an au pair who was living with the family. Prosecutors are continuing to investigate the case, looking into the connection between Ryan and the family or the au pair. Authorities found a knife and two firearms at the scene of the crime, raising questions about the events that led to the deaths of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Brendan, who is no longer employed by the IRS, and Magalhaes are both facing serious charges in connection with the murders as the investigation continues.
