Defense attorneys say the family's au pair fabricated the alleged BDSM murder plot to obtain a plea deal, while prosecutors argue her testimony and other details support their case. The charges stem from the Feb. 23, 2023 deaths of Christine Banfield, who was stabbed, and Joseph Ryan, who was shot. The au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024 and testified at Brendan Banfield's 2026 trial. The defense highlights an absence of forensic evidence linking Banfield to the knife; prosecutors maintain their timeline and motive.
Defense Says Au Pair Fabricated Alleged 'BDSM' Murder Plot in Brendan Banfield Trial
Brendan Banfield, Christine Banfield, center, and Juliana Peres Magalhaes, rightFairfax County Police Department; Christine Banfield/Facebook; Fairfax County Police Department
Defense attorneys told jurors that the au pair at the center of the prosecution's case invented a lurid BDSM murder plot to secure a plea deal, while prosecutors maintain her testimony and other evidence support their timeline.
What Prosecutors Allege
Prosecutors say Brendan Banfield, a former federal agent, arranged to meet Joseph Ryan at his Virginia home on Feb. 23, 2023, after allegedly posing as his wife on the fetish website Fetlife.com. According to the state, messages exchanged on the site described a planned "consensual sexual encounter" involving restraints and the cutting of the wife's clothing, which drew Ryan to the home.
The Commonwealth alleges that once Ryan arrived, he was shot in the home and Christine Banfield was stabbed; prosecutors contend that the au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, fired additional shots after seeing Ryan move. Prosecutors say the scene was intended to look like a staged home invasion, with coordinated phone calls and a plan to make Brendan's movements appear routine.
Key Witness And Plea Deal
Peres Magalhaes pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2024 in connection with Ryan's death and became the prosecution's key witness at Brendan Banfield's 2026 murder trial. On the stand she testified that Banfield told her he wanted to "get rid" of his wife, according to news reports.
Defense Arguments
During closing arguments, defense attorney John Carroll urged jurors to reject Peres Magalhaes's account, saying she "made it up" to secure a plea agreement that benefited her. Carroll also emphasized the defense view that the Commonwealth has presented no forensic evidence tying Brendan to the crime scene weapon: he pointed to DNA testing that he says did not detect Banfield's DNA on the knife allegedly used to stab Christine.
"She told the Commonwealth what they wanted to hear," Carroll told the jury, according to media coverage.
Prosecution Response And Trial Status
Prosecutors maintain that Peres Magalhaes's plea and courtroom testimony fit the broader case they presented: that Banfield arranged the meeting online, Ryan came to the home and the violence that followed resulted in two deaths. The defense continues to argue that Peres Magalhaes cooperated only to minimize her own exposure and that jurors should view her testimony skeptically.
The trial concluded closing arguments on Jan. 30, with the jury set to deliberate following final instructions from the judge. Both sides have framed the case around credibility and the presence (or absence) of forensic ties to Brendan Banfield.
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