Suvechha Sarkar
Joseph Nathan Ryan was a loving son, a dutiful grandson, and a fun-loving nephew. However, his life came to a sudden halt in February 2023 when he was found dead in Fairfax County, Virginia. On that fateful day, he was at the home of 37-year-old Christine Ann Banfield, who was also brutally killed. ABC’s ’20/20: The Au Pair Affair Murder Trial’ dives deeper into the double homicide and the details surrounding the case, which brought an unexpected plot to light. It also features interviews with their loved ones and the law enforcement officials who worked tirelessly on the case.
Joseph Ryan’s Remains Were Found at the Home of Christine Banfield
Joseph Nathan Ryan arrived as a ray of sunshine into the lives of his mother, Deirdre Fisher, and his father, just two days before Christmas in 1984. There is very little public information available on his father and Joseph’s early life. However, one thing that remains clear is that he fostered a close relationship with Deirdre. According to his aunt, Sangeeta Ryan, Joseph had a fun-loving personality and was also smart, inquisitive, charming, and loved talking. In a report, she stated that Joseph deeply cared about the environment and loved animals. That eventually led him to rescue and adopt several dogs. Apart from that, Joseph was a responsible family member who diligently cared for his grandmother. By February 2023, Joseph was residing in Springfield, Virginia.
However, Joseph’s life turned upside down on February 24, 2023, when he traveled to the residence of 37-year-old Christine Ann Banfield, located at 13200 Stable Brook Way in Herndon, Virginia. Christine was married to Brendan Banfield, and they had a 4-year-old daughter. On that fateful day, authorities received two 911 calls shortly after 8 am from Christine’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, and Brendan, claiming that Christine was attacked by an unknown man and that Brendan had reportedly shot him to save Christine. As authorities rushed to the scene, they found Christine suffering from multiple stab wounds in her upper body in the bedroom. They reportedly spotted Joseph nearby with gunshot wounds to his upper body.
According to court records, Joseph was unfortunately declared dead at the scene. Christine was rushed to the hospital, but sadly, she passed away from her injuries shortly after. Upon checking the house, detectives found no signs of forced entry and Christine’s 4-year-old daughter safe in the basement. Reports state that they recovered a bloody knife, a Glock 19M, and a Glock 23X from the scene, which were used in the double homicide. Additionally, they found Ryan’s backpack containing items like an apricot, lubricant, chains, and electrical tape. The bedroom carpet was covered in blood, and there was blood spatter on the wall. The autopsy reportedly determined that Joseph’s cause of death was the fatal gunshot wounds, while Christine succumbed to her stab wounds.
Suspicious Digital Forensic Data of the Killers Put Them Under Scrutiny
Initially, officials were unable to determine why Joseph came to Christine’s house, as he had no connection to her or her family. They started the investigation by questioning Juliana and Brendan, who were present at the time of the murders. According to court records, Juliana claimed she was originally taking Christine’s daughter to the zoo, but they returned when she remembered that she had forgotten their lunch at home. In her statements, she claimed that when she noticed an unfamiliar car outside the residence, she tried to contact Christine. Juliana claimed that when Christine didn’t pick up, Juliana called and urged Brendan to rush home since he had allegedly left for work. As per court records, Juliana and Brendan claimed that when they went to the upstairs bedroom, they found Joseph attacking Christine with a knife.
Reports state that Brendan and Juliana told the officials that the former allegedly used his authorized handgun to shoot Joseph in an act of self-defense. They continued that Brendan then asked Juliana to bring another gun, and when she admittedly saw Joseph moving, she reportedly fired the last shot with that weapon. However, suspicions arose when forensic experts noted that the blood patterns at the scene appeared staged and didn’t match the accounts of Brendan and Juliana, as per records. Police reports state that digital forensic experts soon discovered that Ryan had an account on a fetish website, FetLife, through which he connected with an account in Christine’s name. Further records specify that the investigation into the text messages revealed that Christine seemingly asked him for a violent sexual encounter, involving restraint.
According to investigative reports, Joseph’s communication with Christine’s account led him to believe she allegedly wanted to role-play, supposedly acting terrified. Further records suggest that Christine allegedly asked him to bring a knife to cut her clothes. However, after speaking with multiple witnesses, investigators were unable to build any connection between Christine and that particular lifestyle. The experts then dove deeper into the cell phone data of Juliana and Brendan. As per court records, they discovered that the activities on Christine’s FetLife account were present at the time Juliana and Brendan were at the residence, and it was inactive when they were absent.
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A Second Home Search and a Confession Brought the Killers to Light
Around 8 months after Joseph and Christine’s death, officials reportedly returned to Brendan’s home to find Juliana’s lingerie in his bedroom. Additionally, they found a framed picture of Juliana and Brendan in Brendan’s bedroom, as per reports. Based on overwhelming evidence, Juliana was taken into custody on October 19, 2023. She was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in relation to the death of Joseph. According to court records, nearly one year later, Juliana confessed to officials that she had been having an affair with Brendan since October 2022.
As per her statements, Juliana claimed that Brendan began planning the murder of Christine because he allegedly told her that divorce would cost him money and the custody of his daughter. Official records indicate that Juliana told officials she and Brendan created the account under Christine’s name and communicated with Ryan. Juliana claimed that Brendan wanted to frame Joseph for the murder of Christine before he shot Joseph himself. Ultimately, authorities arrested Brendan on September 16, 2024. He was charged with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, four counts of aggravated murder, and child endangerment.
Juliana avoided a jury trial when she accepted a guilty plea in October 2024 to the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, in exchange for being the star witness for the prosecution. The jury trial of Brendan began in January 2026, and he was convicted on two counts of aggravated murder, along with the remaining three charges, on February 2, 2026. His sentencing date is set on May 8, 2026, and he is currently facing life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. On the other hand, Juliana was sentenced to 10 years in prison with 2 years of probation for her conviction on February 13, 2026. She has reportedly received credit for the time she has already served in prison and may face deportation after completing her sentence.
