The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield

Hidden Killers Podcast
  • 4.3 (6)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED DAILY

A pediatric nurse stabbed to death. A stranger shot twice by two different guns. A 4-year-old waiting in the basement to go to the zoo. And a husband who says he's innocent. The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial of Brendan Banfield is your complete source for daily coverage, analysis, and breakdown of one of the most anticipated murder trials of 2026. On February 24, 2023, Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan were found dead inside the Banfield home in Herndon, Virginia. Prosecutors allege Brendan Banfield — an IRS criminal investigator — and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, were having an affair and conspired to murder his wife. The alleged weapon? A fake profile on FetLife, a sexual fetish website, used to lure Ryan to the house as an unwitting patsy in a staged home invasion. But this case is far from simple. The prosecution's own digital forensics expert concluded Christine Banfield — not her husband — appeared to be controlling the FetLife account. His findings were peer-reviewed and confirmed. Then he was transferred out of the unit. The lead homicide detective who disagreed with command staff's theory was moved off the case. The lead prosecutor was removed after being cited for drinking at 8 a.m. Now the state's entire case rests on Juliana Peres Magalhaes — who changed her story after a year in jail and took a plea deal that lets her walk free if she testifies against Banfield. She wrote to her mother from jail: "I'm heartbroken for doing this to Brendan... I want to be with you again." What you'll get from this podcast: Daily trial coverage and courtroom analysis Witness testimony breakdowns Evidence deep dives — from blood spatter to digital forensics Legal expert commentary The story behind the headlines Christine Banfield was a nurse who spent her career helping sexual assault survivors. Joseph Ryan was a man looking for connection who walked into a house he never should have entered. Both are dead. Somebody is responsible. Did Brendan Banfield orchestrate an elaborate murder plot with his young mistress? Or did investigators lock onto a theory before the evidence supported it — and punish anyone who disagreed? Subscribe now for complete coverage of the Brendan Banfield murder trial. New episodes daily during trial. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

  1. FBI Agent Decodes Banfield's Defense Plus McKee Obsession & Greenberg Federal Corruption Probe

    8H AGO

    FBI Agent Decodes Banfield's Defense Plus McKee Obsession & Greenberg Federal Corruption Probe

    Robin Dreeke, former FBI special agent and head of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, delivers his behavioral assessment of the au pair affair murder case — and tackles two other major cases in the same comprehensive interview. On Banfield: what his dismissive testimony language reveals, why the collapsed alibi matters, and how the evidence aligns with behavioral patterns. The defense says Juliana made it all up. The prosecution says Banfield orchestrated a staged double murder. Robin breaks down what the full behavioral picture tells us. On the McKee case: the unsealed affidavit revealing eight years of alleged stalking and threats against Monique Tepe — Robin explains the psychology of possessive obsession. On the Greenberg case: federal investigators have reportedly issued subpoenas to multiple agencies. Robin explains how corruption cases get built. Three cases at critical inflection points. One expert who's spent thirty years reading exactly these situations. #BrendanBanfield #AuPairAffair #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #MichaelMcKee #EllenGreenberg #RobinDreeke #FBI #BehavioralAnalysis #TrueCrime Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    1h 5m
  2. FBI Agent Decodes Brendan Banfield: The Testimony, the Letters & What the Evidence Actually Shows

    12H AGO

    FBI Agent Decodes Brendan Banfield: The Testimony, the Letters & What the Evidence Actually Shows

    Robin Dreeke spent over thirty years in the FBI studying manipulation, deception, and how people reveal themselves under pressure. Now he breaks down everything we learned from Brendan Banfield's two days on the stand — the dismissive language, the BDSM claims about Christine, the alibi that collapsed when his own supervisor contradicted him. Prosecutors built their case on Juliana Peres Magalhães, who admitted to lying for over a year, wrote letters promising to "take the blame" for Banfield, and only flipped after his family stopped paying her legal bills. But she also gave detailed, consistent testimony about the alleged murder plot — including specifics about staging blood evidence on Joseph Ryan's body. The defense says she made it all up. Prosecutors showed jail letters where Banfield professed love and discussed baby names with her. A framed photo of them was on his nightstand eight months after Christine's death. Robin explains the framework for separating truth from self-serving narrative when an accomplice testifies, what Banfield's word choices reveal about his psychology, and what the full behavioral picture tells us about what actually happened on February 24th, 2023. #BrendanBanfield #JulianaPeresMagalhaes #AuPairAffair #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #RobinDreeke #FBI #BehavioralAnalysis #FetLife #TrueCrime Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    22 min
  3. VERDICT: Brendan Banfield Found Guilty of Aggravated Murder — Juliana Walks Free

    1D AGO

    VERDICT: Brendan Banfield Found Guilty of Aggravated Murder — Juliana Walks Free

    It's over. Brendan Banfield has been convicted of aggravated murder in the deaths of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. After nearly nine hours of deliberation, a Fairfax County jury delivered the verdict Monday afternoon — finding the former IRS agent guilty on both counts of aggravated murder. He faces mandatory life in prison without parole. This case came down to one question: Who do you believe — Brendan or Juliana? The jury chose Juliana. Juliana Peres Magalhães, the 25-year-old Brazilian au pair who was having an affair with Banfield, took the stand and told jurors everything. She testified that Banfield wanted to "get rid of" his wife as early as October 2022. She described how they created fake profiles on FetLife, catfished Joseph Ryan, and lured him to the Banfield home under the guise of a consensual violent fantasy with Christine. She said she watched Banfield stab his wife seven times in the neck. She admitted firing the second shot into Ryan herself. In exchange, prosecutors dropped her murder charge to manslaughter. She'll get time served. She's walking out. Banfield took the stand in his own defense and called the allegations "absolutely crazy." His attorney John Carroll attacked Magalhães as a liar who was "bought and paid for." The defense pointed to the fact that Banfield's DNA wasn't found on the knife. They challenged the digital forensics and accused investigators of confirmation bias. The jury heard it all. They still convicted him. We break down every piece of this verdict — what the jury saw, why they decided what they decided, and what Banfield's appeal will look like. #AuPairAffair #BrendanBanfield #JulianaMagalhaes #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #GuiltyVerdict #FairfaxCounty #AggravatedMurder #TrueCrime #MurderTrial Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    18 min
  4. Au Pair Affair Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Brendan Banfield is Back in the Courtroom for the Verdict - Found GUILTY on All Counts!

    1D AGO

    Au Pair Affair Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Brendan Banfield is Back in the Courtroom for the Verdict - Found GUILTY on All Counts!

    Banfield, a former IRS Criminal Investigation agent, faces four counts of aggravated murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child abuse charges in the February 24, 2023 deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Prosecutors allege Banfield and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, were having an affair and conspired to lure Ryan to their Herndon home using a fake profile on a sexual fetish website — then killed both victims and staged it as a home invasion.Magalhães has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is cooperating with prosecutors in exchange for a recommendation of time served. The defense maintains that digital forensic evidence shows Christine Banfield controlled her own devices and that investigators who contradicted the catfishing theory were reassigned.If convicted on all counts, Banfield faces life in prison without parole plus 13 additional years. The trial is expected to last four weeks. #BrendanBanfield #AuPairAffair #BanfieldTrial #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #JulianaMagalhaes #FairfaxCounty #MurderTrial #TrueCrime #Breaking Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    6 min
  5. The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: John Carroll Delivers Closing Arguments: Brendan Banfield’s Last Shot at Reasonable Doubt

    4D AGO

    The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: John Carroll Delivers Closing Arguments: Brendan Banfield’s Last Shot at Reasonable Doubt

    John Carroll, Defense Counsel for Brendan Banfield, presented closing arguments today in the Brendan Banfield murder trial in Fairfax County, Virginia.Banfield, a former IRS Criminal Investigation agent, faces four counts of aggravated murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child abuse charges in the February 24, 2023 deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Prosecutors allege Banfield and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, were having an affair and conspired to lure Ryan to their Herndon home using a fake profile on a sexual fetish website — then killed both victims and staged it as a home invasion.Magalhães has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is cooperating with prosecutors in exchange for a recommendation of time served. The defense maintains that digital forensic evidence shows Christine Banfield controlled her own devices and that investigators who contradicted the catfishing theory were reassigned.If convicted on all counts, Banfield faces life in prison without parole plus 13 additional years. The trial is expected to last four weeks. #BrendanBanfield #AuPairAffair #BanfieldTrial #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #JulianaMagalhaes #FairfaxCounty #MurderTrial #TrueCrime #Breaking Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    1h 32m
  6. Jenna Sands Presents Closing Arguments in BrenThe Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Jenna Sands Presents Prosecution Closing Arguments: The Final Push to Convict Brendan Banfielddan Banfield Trial — The "Au Pair Affair Murder Trial"

    4D AGO

    Jenna Sands Presents Closing Arguments in BrenThe Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Jenna Sands Presents Prosecution Closing Arguments: The Final Push to Convict Brendan Banfielddan Banfield Trial — The "Au Pair Affair Murder Trial"

    Jenna Sands, Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County, presented closing arguments in the murder trial of Brendan Banfield, the former IRS agent charged with four counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Prosecutors allege Banfield and the family's au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, lured Ryan to their Herndon home through a fetish website and staged the killings as a home invasion.The defense argues digital forensics contradict the catfishing theory and that investigators who disagreed were reassigned. Banfield faces life without parole if convicted. The four-week trial continues in Fairfax County. #TrueCrimeToday #BrendanBanfield #AuPairAffair #MurderTrial #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #FairfaxCounty #JulianaMagalhaes #Justice #Breaking Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    22 min
  7. Day 9: Brendan Banfield Describes the Killings — "Christine Told Me She Was Bleeding Out and That She Was Sorry"

    4D AGO

    Day 9: Brendan Banfield Describes the Killings — "Christine Told Me She Was Bleeding Out and That She Was Sorry"

    Brendan Banfield completed his testimony today. For two days, the jury heard his version of February 24th, 2023 — the affair with Juliana, the morning he left the house, the phone call that brought him back, and what he says he saw when he opened that bedroom door. Ryan on the floor with Christine. A knife in her hair. A standoff. A shot. And then, according to Banfield, his dying wife's final words: "I'm bleeding out. I'm sorry. I love you." Prosecutor Jenna Sands methodically dismantled the account on cross-examination. Christine was stabbed seven times in the neck. Banfield claims he only witnessed one stab before firing. Sands pressed: "She had to get five more wounds at some point." Banfield had no answer. Sands also got him to confirm he'd met a previous affair partner on a fetish-style website and introduced fourteen pages of love letters Banfield wrote to Juliana while she was in jail — including discussions of baby names. When asked if he was in love with Juliana, Banfield admitted: "Yes, it appears that I was, I was definitely in love with her." The prosecution's rebuttal featured Banfield's own IRS supervisor, who testified the "important meeting" Banfield described that morning never existed. Closing arguments tomorrow at 10 AM. Then the jury decides. #AuPairAffair #BrendanBanfield #ChristineBanfield #JulianaPeresMagalhães #JosephRyan #BanfieldTestimony #FairfaxCountyTrial #DoubleMurder #ClosingArguments #TrueCrime Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    17 min
  8. The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Thomas Patrick Smith Testifies: Federal Testimony Hits Hard: IRS Agent Explains Banfield’s Chain of Command

    5D AGO

    The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial Of Brendan Banfield: Thomas Patrick Smith Testifies: Federal Testimony Hits Hard: IRS Agent Explains Banfield’s Chain of Command

    Thomas Patrick Smith, Special Agent with IRS Criminal Investigations, took the stand today in the Brendan Banfield murder trial in Fairfax County, Virginia.Banfield, a former IRS Criminal Investigation agent, faces four counts of aggravated murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and child abuse charges in the February 24, 2023 deaths of his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. Prosecutors allege Banfield and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, were having an affair and conspired to lure Ryan to their Herndon home using a fake profile on a sexual fetish website — then killed both victims and staged it as a home invasion.Magalhães has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is cooperating with prosecutors in exchange for a recommendation of time served. The defense maintains that digital forensic evidence shows Christine Banfield controlled her own devices and that investigators who contradicted the catfishing theory were reassigned.If convicted on all counts, Banfield faces life in prison without parole plus 13 additional years. The trial is expected to last four weeks. #BrendanBanfield #AuPairAffair #BanfieldTrial #ChristineBanfield #JosephRyan #JulianaMagalhaes #FairfaxCounty #MurderTrial #TrueCrime #Breaking  Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

    19 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

A pediatric nurse stabbed to death. A stranger shot twice by two different guns. A 4-year-old waiting in the basement to go to the zoo. And a husband who says he's innocent. The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial of Brendan Banfield is your complete source for daily coverage, analysis, and breakdown of one of the most anticipated murder trials of 2026. On February 24, 2023, Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan were found dead inside the Banfield home in Herndon, Virginia. Prosecutors allege Brendan Banfield — an IRS criminal investigator — and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, were having an affair and conspired to murder his wife. The alleged weapon? A fake profile on FetLife, a sexual fetish website, used to lure Ryan to the house as an unwitting patsy in a staged home invasion. But this case is far from simple. The prosecution's own digital forensics expert concluded Christine Banfield — not her husband — appeared to be controlling the FetLife account. His findings were peer-reviewed and confirmed. Then he was transferred out of the unit. The lead homicide detective who disagreed with command staff's theory was moved off the case. The lead prosecutor was removed after being cited for drinking at 8 a.m. Now the state's entire case rests on Juliana Peres Magalhaes — who changed her story after a year in jail and took a plea deal that lets her walk free if she testifies against Banfield. She wrote to her mother from jail: "I'm heartbroken for doing this to Brendan... I want to be with you again." What you'll get from this podcast: Daily trial coverage and courtroom analysis Witness testimony breakdowns Evidence deep dives — from blood spatter to digital forensics Legal expert commentary The story behind the headlines Christine Banfield was a nurse who spent her career helping sexual assault survivors. Joseph Ryan was a man looking for connection who walked into a house he never should have entered. Both are dead. Somebody is responsible. Did Brendan Banfield orchestrate an elaborate murder plot with his young mistress? Or did investigators lock onto a theory before the evidence supported it — and punish anyone who disagreed? Subscribe now for complete coverage of the Brendan Banfield murder trial. New episodes daily during trial. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

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