Au Pair Reveals Plot to Murder Wife and Stranger
- A former Brazilian au pair testified on Wednesday that she turned against her former lover in a sprawling double homicide scheme involving his wife as she "wanted the...
- For more than a year, Juliana peres Magalhães did not speak with officials about the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, or about Brendan Banfield's alleged...
- Now, Brendan Banfield is facing a trial in the aggravated murder of his wife and Ryan, and Magalhães' testimony has become a key component of prosecutors' case.
A former Brazilian au pair testified on Wednesday that she turned against her former lover in a sprawling double homicide scheme involving his wife as she “wanted the truth to come out.”
For more than a year, Juliana peres Magalhães did not speak with officials about the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan, or about Brendan Banfield’s alleged involvement. But attorneys say that days before her own criminal trial, the former au pair changed her mind and began to talk.
Now, Brendan Banfield is facing a trial in the aggravated murder of his wife and Ryan, and Magalhães’ testimony has become a key component of prosecutors’ case. Banfield, who has pleaded not guilty, coudl face life in prison if convicted.
The way officials tell it,Banfield and Magalhães lured Ryan to their house. The two then shot him, staging the scene to look as if Ryan had been a predator stabbing Christine banfield.
Tom Brenner / AP
magalhaes testified that she crouched behind the bed and covered her eyes and ears while Brendan Banfield repeatedly stabbed his wife, CBS affiliate WUSA-TV reported.
“I just couldn’t keep it to myself, the feeling of shame and guilt and sadness,” she said in court of the ruse. The former au pair was initially charged with second-degree murder in Ryan’s killing, but has since pleaded guilty to a downgraded manslaughter charge.
In court, the former au pair testified that she and Banfield had created an account in Christine Banfield’s name on a social media platf
tom Brenner / AP
An au pair testified Wednesday that Brendan Banfield drove her to desperation, leading her to shoot and kill his wife, Katherine Banfield, in 2023. Peres Magalhães told the court that Banfield manipulated and coerced her, exploiting her emotional state and isolation.
Magalhães recounted to the jury how Banfield asked her to read letters she’d written from jail, detailing her despair. “no strength. No courage. No hope,” she read from one of her own letters. Magalhães testified that her deteriorating health while incarcerated and separation from family contributed to her decision to implicate banfield.
Banfield, dressed in a gray suit and striped tie, occasionally looked up during Magalhães’ testimony. The former au pair did not appear to acknowledge him.
Magalhães will be sentenced after Banfield’s trial concludes. Her attorneys believe she could receive a sentence equivalent to the time she has already served, depending on her continued cooperation with investigators.
Banfield also faces charges of child abuse and felony child cruelty related to the case, as his then-4-year-old daughter was present at the home during the shootings. Those charges will be addressed during the trial.
Prosecutors presented evidence in an April 2024 hearing, reported by WUSA-TV,showing that Magalhães and banfield visited the Silveira family two months before the shooting.