Au-Pair Accused in Northern Virginia Double Murder Enters Guilty Plea at Trial

Juliana Perez Magalhaes’ plea hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning, according to court records.

Au pair charged with conspiracy with a husband who caused the death of the wife of the family she worked for and another man in Fairfax County, Virginia, the house is ready to enter a plea in the case.

Juliana Perez Magalhaes’ plea hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning, according to court records. She was arrested eight months after February 2023 murders at a home on Stable Brook Way in Herndon and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 39-year-old Joseph Nathan Ryan.

Perez Magalhães was scheduled to go on trial in November.

Brendan Banfield was arrested in September and charged with the murders of his wife Christine Banfield and Ryan. His trial is scheduled for February 2025.

At the time of the murders, Brendan and Christine Banfield were married and living in the house with their 4-year-old daughter and 22-year-old au pair.

Prosecutors said Perez Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield began a romantic relationship in August 2022.

Last month, Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Clingan said Perez Magalhaes and Brendan Banfield had a brief phone conversation during which she said, “I hope you’re not just staying with me because you’re afraid I’ll turn against you.”

WTOP’s Neil Augenstein and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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