A nanny who had a secret affair with a man accused of murdering his wife appeared dramatically different from her usual glamorous self when she testified at his trial this week.
A Stark Courtroom Transformation
Juliana Peres Magalhães, a 25-year-old Brazilian au pair, entered Fairfax County Court on Wednesday dressed in a modest beige sweater and black skirt. This was a stark contrast to the revealing outfits she was known for during her extramarital relationship with Brendan Banfield. She also wore thick black glasses, had her long black hair down, and appeared to be wearing no makeup as she took the stand directly in front of him.
Brendan Banfield, 40, stands accused of the brutal murders of his 37-year-old wife, Christine, and another man, 39-year-old Joseph Ryan, on February 24, 2023. Prosecutors allege the killings were part of a twisted scheme to allow Banfield to be with his younger mistress.
The Twisted Plot and Plea Deal
According to the prosecution, Magalhães and Banfield collaborated to lure Ryan to the family home in Herndon, Virginia, using a BDSM website. They then allegedly staged the scene to make it appear that Ryan had killed Christine Banfield. Investigators claim a fake account for Christine was created on the fetish site under the username 'Annastasia9' to arrange 'rough sex' with Ryan.
Magalhães has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea deal. This arrangement was made in exchange for her cooperation in the prosecution of Banfield. During her testimony, a letter was presented to the court revealing the pair had planned a future together after the murders. In correspondence to her brother in August 2024, Magalhães stated Banfield wanted to move to Brazil with her and build a house.
Jailhouse Deals and Contradictory Letters
While on the stand, Magalhães disclosed that she has been in talks with television producers from behind bars about selling the rights to her story for a potential streaming service documentary. She revealed these producers have become her 'support system,' funding her prison communications and commissary account.
However, the court also heard contradictory letters she wrote while incarcerated. In one to her mother, she vowed to take the blame for both herself and Banfield, writing, 'I'd give my life for his... I'll take the blame for the both of us.' Yet, in another correspondence read aloud, she declared, 'I'm not willing to spend life in prison for something I didn't do.'
The trial heard emotional evidence earlier in the week, including the 911 call from the night of the killings. Banfield wept in court as the recording played, in which he is heard stating, 'There's somebody here I shot him (Ryan), but he stabbed her (Christine).' Prosecutors noted Magalhães called 911 at least twice that night but hung up before speaking, only reporting the emergency on a third call over ten minutes later.
Banfield, a former IRS officer, also faces child abuse and neglect charges because his four-year-old daughter was home during the alleged murders. He denies the charges. His defence attorney, John Carroll, admitted the affair but sought to undermine Magalhães's testimony, suggesting she was arrested to 'flip her against my client.' The trial continues.
