FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - A Brazilian au pair who admitted plotting with her employer‑turned‑lover to kill his wife and another man says she came forward because she wanted to do good, not because she hoped cooperation would free her from a Virginia jail and send her home.
A judge will decide her punishment on Friday.
Juliana Peres Magalhães is set to be sentenced in Fairfax County for the February 2023 killing of Joseph Ryan. She testified that she shot Ryan while Brendan Banfield fatally stabbed his wife, Christine, in the couple’s bedroom.
READ MORE: Brendan Banfield ruled guilty in au pair murder trial
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Banfield murder case: Au pair faces sentencing Friday
A Brazilian au pair who admitted plotting with her employer‑turned‑lover to kill his wife and another man says she came forward because she wanted to do good, not because she hoped cooperation would free her from a Virginia jail and send her home.
Magalhães pleaded guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge in Ryan’s death after agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors in their case against Banfield, who was convicted this month of aggravated murder in both killings.
What we know:
Prosecutors say Magalhães and Banfield were having an affair in the months before the attacks and continued their relationship afterward.
During Banfield’s trial, Magalhães testified that she and the IRS agent created an account in Christine Banfield’s name on a fetish platform. Ryan connected with the account and agreed to meet for a sexual encounter involving a knife.
Juliana Peres Magalhães
READ MORE: Deadly Desire? Brendan Banfield on Trial
Magalhães said she and Banfield took the couple’s 4‑year‑old child to the basement before entering the bedroom, where she said Banfield shot Ryan and stabbed his wife in the neck. When she saw Ryan move, she testified, she fired the second shot that killed him.
She wasn’t arrested until eight months later and stayed silent for more than a year, only deciding to talk as her own trial approached.
Banfield murder trial: Former au pair testifies that ex lover plotted to kill wife
Banfield’s attorney attacked her credibility during his trial, arguing she was simply telling prosecutors what they wanted to hear.
Under her plea deal, both sides agreed she should be released from jail at sentencing, though Chief Judge Penney Azcarate could reject the arrangement. In Virginia, manslaughter carries a maximum 10‑year sentence.
READ MORE: Brendan Banfield convicted: What’s next for au pair Juliana Magalhães?
Banfield murder trial: Former au pair testifies that ex lover plotted to kill wife
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 reporting.