Brazilian au pair takes plea deal, cooperates in Virginia double-murder case against former boss

A Brazilian au pair involved in a Virginia double-murder case took a plea deal on Tuesday, cooperating with prosecutors as they prepare to go to trial against the woman's former boss.

Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Joseph Ryan last year at the home where she worked for Brendan and Christine Banfield. The body of Christine Banfield was found in the home on the same day with stab wounds, and she was later declared dead at a hospital.

Brendan Banfield, 39, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of use of a firearm in commission of a felony in both his wife and Ryan's death. His trial is set for February.

The sentencing for Peres Magalhaes, who faces up to 10 years in prison, will be in March.

Suspect Brendan Banfield is escorted by police in September in Reston, Va.Reston Police Department

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced the au pair's plea deal, calling it a "significant step forward in this case."

“Much of the information that led to this agreement cannot be made public at this time, due to the upcoming criminal trial against the other defendant in this matter," Descano said.

Peres Magalhaes called 911 on the morning of Feb 24, 2023, and reported that a friend was hurt, police said previously. A man, later identified as Brendan Banfield, then took the phone to tell the dispatcher “that an unknown male had entered his home and he had shot them."

But investigators said they found no evidence of forced entry. Police described the scene at the home as "horrific" and "appalling." 

Initially, Peres Magalhaes was arrested in October of last year on charges of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Her plea deal downgrades the murder charge to manslaughter and drops the firearm charge.

But Brendan Banfield was not charged until this September, when a grand jury indicted him.

He had been called to testify at a hearing in April, but according to NBC Washington, declined to answer questions citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Officials laid out a theory in April that Peres Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield were having an affair and plotted to kill his wife to be together, NBC Washington reported at the time. Photos of the two together were found in the Banfield's bedroom as well as the au pair's lingerie, prosecutors said at the time.

According to the theory, Ryan was contacted by someone purporting to be Christine Banfield through a fetish sex website.

Authorities have doubts it was actually her that he was messaging, but it was those interactions that allegedly led Ryan to the Banfields' home last year where he was killed.

Peres Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield said Ryan attacked the au pair, which led him to shoot Ryan in self-defense, according to NBC Washington.

Prosecutors said at the time the two of them went to a shooting range together a couple of months before the murders and Banfield had purchased a gun from the range.

According to NBC Washington, Peres Magalhaes told detectives that the first shot from Brendan Banfield didn't kill Ryan, so he told her to go get the gun purchased from the range. She did and then shot at Ryan a second time, the station reported.

An attorney for Brendan Banfield did not immediately return a request for comment on the plea deal on Monday.