Au Pair Pleads Responsible In Homicide of Lover’s Spouse & Man Lured to Her House Through Fetish Web site

Each Banfield, 37, and Ryan, 38, have been killed at Banfield’s house in a quiet Northern Virginia neighborhood within the early morning hours of February 24, 2023. Christine’s husband, Brendan Banfield, and her household’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, have been later arrested.

Whereas Magalhaes was beforehand charged with second-degree homicide — with a trial set for subsequent month — on Tuesday, she agreed to plea responsible to a lesser cost of manslaughter. Alongside along with her plea got here some new particulars about what allegedly led to Banfield’s and Ryan’s deaths.

In accordance with ABC Information, citing the plea settlement, Banfield allegedly stated he needed to “be rid of” his spouse within the fall of 2022, shortly after he started an affair with Magalhaes in August of that very same 12 months.

He allegedly saved constructing out his plans, although Magalhaes stated she did not imagine he would observe via with them and did not need to be concerned. The planning, nonetheless, allegedly continued, with Brendan accused of making a profile on a sexual fetish web site, the place he began speaking with Ryan.

Per the settlement, Brendan had Magalhaes fake to be Christine whereas speaking to Ryan over a name, as they arrange a time for the pair to have intercourse with “restraints” at her house. Per WUSA, prosecutors allege “the conversations confirmed they might be doing a violent sexual function play and Ryan introduced a knife with him.”

On the day of the murders, Magalhaes and Brendan allegedly waited till Ryan entered the house, earlier than they then entered and introduced the Banfield’s little one to the basement. They declare they discovered Ryan holding Christine down within the bed room. Per the settlement, Brendan allegedly then shouted, “Police!” and shot Ryan within the head, earlier than stabbing Christine to loss of life as Magalhaes referred to as 911. Magalhaes additionally shot Ryan, stated prosecutors, after seeing him transfer.

Brendan initially stated Ryan was an intruder who stabbed his spouse.

Below the diminished cost of manslaughter, Magalhaes faces as much as 10 years in jail. She will not be sentenced till after Brendan’s trial in February 2024, with prosecutors hoping to see how cooperative she is with them in his case.

Brendan was indicted for the aggravated murders of each his spouse and Ryan again in September, following a 19-month investigation.