Virginia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Double Murder Scheme in Affair with Au Pair Brendan Banfield, a former IRS officer, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders of his wife and Joseph Ryan. Prosecutors alleged Banfield and au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães orchestrated a plan to kill Christine Banfield and frame Ryan, who was lured to the home. Banfield was also convicted of child endangerment as their 4-year-old daughter was present during the murders.

• Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, received a life sentence without parole for the murders of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joseph Ryan.
• Prosecutors stated Banfield and au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães lured Ryan to the couple’s home to serve as a scapegoat after plotting to kill Christine Banfield.
• The scheme involved impersonating Christine Banfield on a fetish website to entice Ryan, staging the scene to appear as if Ryan was a violent intruder.
• Banfield’s daughter, aged 4, was present in the home during the killings, leading to a child endangerment conviction for which he received additional prison time.
• Magalhães testified against Banfield after pleading guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.