Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 25, was sentenced to 10 years (plus two years suspended) after pleading guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge in the Feb. 24, 2023 deaths of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Judge Penney Azcarate described the case as the "most serious manslaughter scenario" the court had seen and rejected a time-served recommendation. Magalhaes apologized to the victims' families; her lawyer says she is expected to serve about four years and two months after credits. Co-defendant Brendan Banfield was convicted of aggravated murder and faces possible life imprisonment.
Brazilian Au Pair Sentenced to 10 Years in Plot That Led to Double Murder; Co-Defendant Faces Possible Life
Brendan Banfield during his double murder trial on Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (Tom Brenner / Pool via AP)(Tom Brenner)
Juliana Peres Magalhaes, a 25-year-old Brazilian au pair, was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison — with an additional two years suspended — after pleading guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge in the Feb. 24, 2023, deaths of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.
Sentence and Court Remarks
In Virginia court, Judge Penney Azcarate called the case the "most serious manslaughter scenario" she had encountered, citing Magalhaes' active role in the events. The judge detailed that Magalhaes watched as Brendan Banfield stabbed his wife and that she shot Ryan at close range, saying, "The plan did not work without your full involvement." For those reasons, Azcarate rejected a recommendation that Magalhaes receive only time already served.
Defense Statement and Expected Time Served
Magalhaes apologized in court to the families of the victims, including the Banfields' young daughter. "I hope someday I can be forgiven, as I hope to be able to forgive myself," she said. Her attorney, Ryan Campbell, told NBC Washington that after credit for time served and good-behavior reductions are applied, Magalhaes is expected to serve roughly four years and two months.
Co-Defendant Convicted
Earlier this month, a jury convicted 40-year-old Brendan Banfield, a former IRS agent, of two counts of aggravated murder, one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child endangerment. Banfield faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
Alleged Scheme and Trial Details
Prosecutors say the killings followed a plotted plan. During testimony, Magalhaes said Banfield wanted to avoid a divorce. She testified that they used his wife's laptop to create a fake profile on the BDSM website FetLife and lured Joseph Ryan to the Banfield home under the belief he would take part in a staged sexual scenario involving Christine Banfield.
According to testimony, the plan was to claim that Ryan stabbed Christine and that Banfield shot him in self-defense. Prosecutors, however, argued the killings were deliberate and orchestrated.
911 Call and Victim Statements
On the morning of Feb. 24, 2023, Magalhaes placed a 911 call reporting that a friend had been hurt. In a call played at trial, Banfield told a dispatcher, "There’s somebody here. I shot them. He stabbed her. There’s several marks on her neck. What do I do?" Police later found Christine Banfield fatally stabbed in an upstairs bedroom and Joseph Ryan fatally shot nearby.
At sentencing, Ryan's mother, Deidre Fisher, described her son as her confidant and "biggest ally and cheerleader," adding, "My son’s life was used and thrown away, seen as worthless and utterly disposable."
Where the Case Stands
Magalhaes' sentence resolves her criminal case after a 2024 plea to manslaughter. Banfield's conviction will be followed by sentencing, where he faces the possibility of life in prison for the aggravated murder convictions.
Note: This report is based on court proceedings and reporting from NBC News and local Virginia coverage.
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