Catfish Trap Ends in DOUBLE MURDER

A federal law enforcement officer transformed a suburban Virginia home into a murder scene so elaborate that investigators needed months to unravel the truth buried beneath a staged crime scene and digital deception.

Story Snapshot

Brendan Banfield, 40, convicted of murdering his wife Christine and stranger Joseph Ryan in a premeditated plot involving catfishing on a fetish website
Former IRS officer orchestrated scheme with family au pair to frame Ryan as home invader, motivated by affair and fear of losing assets in divorce
Jury deliberated nine hours over two days before finding Banfield guilty on all counts including two aggravated murders and child endangerment
Co-conspirator Juliana Peres Magalhaes received time served for manslaughter after testifying against Banfield; he faces life without parole at May 8 sentencing

The Plot Behind the Fake Profile

Brendan Banfield did not stumble into murder. He engineered it. The former IRS law enforcement officer spent months crafting a plan that hinged on digital deception and cold calculation. Prosecutors demonstrated how Banfield and his 25-year-old Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, created fake accounts on a fetish website, posing as his wife Christine to lure Joseph Ryan, a complete stranger, to their Herndon home. Ryan believed he was meeting Christine for a consensual violent sexual encounter. Instead, he walked into an execution designed to frame him as a murderous intruder.

The scheme traced back to October 2022, when Banfield told Magalhaes he wanted to eliminate his wife. She initially dismissed his words as dark humor. But the IRS officer was serious. He feared losing assets and custody of his four-year-old daughter in divorce proceedings. Worse, he worried about losing Magalhaes, with whom he had fallen deeply in love despite characterizing their relationship as a mere fling during testimony.

February 24, 2023: Two Bodies, One Survivor

The murders unfolded on a frigid February morning in the Banfield family home. Christine Banfield, 37, was stabbed seven times in the neck. Joseph Ryan, 39, was shot in the head. Banfield’s four-year-old daughter was present in the basement during the violence, a detail that would add a child endangerment charge to his indictment. Banfield claimed he arrived home after Magalhaes called about an intruder, discovering Ryan attacking his naked wife with a knife. The prosecution dismantled this narrative with forensic evidence and digital records showing the crime scene had been manipulated to support the home invasion story.

Magalhaes became the prosecution’s star witness after pleading guilty to manslaughter in exchange for time served. Her testimony detailed how the conspiracy evolved from conversation to concrete plan, including the creation of fake online profiles and the selection of Ryan as their sacrificial pawn. Defense attorney John Carroll attacked her credibility, arguing she fabricated the catfishing plot to secure a favorable plea deal. He questioned whether anyone would murder a spouse of 12 years after a six-to-eight-week affair, suggesting the prosecution relied on confirmation bias rather than facts.

The Verdict and What It Reveals

The jury of seven women and five men needed only nine hours across two days to reach unanimous guilty verdicts. They convicted Banfield on two counts of aggravated murder, using a firearm during murder, and child endangerment. He showed minimal emotion as the verdicts were read on January 31, 2026. Prosecutor Jenna Sands had emphasized during closing arguments that Banfield was not engaged in a casual affair but was consumed by love for Magalhaes and terrified of losing her. The digital evidence supported premeditation, and Christine Banfield had no history of using dating or fetish websites, undermining any defense suggestion that she initiated contact with Ryan.

The case exposes uncomfortable truths about how easily digital platforms enable criminal conspiracies. Ryan trusted what he believed was a consensual arrangement facilitated by technology. Instead, he became collateral damage in someone else’s domestic crisis. The involvement of a federal law enforcement officer adds another layer of betrayal. Banfield possessed training in investigations and access to firearms, tools he weaponized against innocent people rather than using to uphold justice.

Justice Served, Questions Remaining

Banfield faces life imprisonment without parole when sentenced on May 8, 2026. His conviction removes a calculated killer from society, but it cannot restore what was destroyed. Christine Banfield will never see her daughter grow up. Joseph Ryan died believing he was participating in a consensual encounter, never suspecting he was targeted for murder by strangers. The four-year-old daughter lost her mother and witnessed violence that will likely haunt her for life.

The plea agreement with Magalhaes raises legitimate questions about prosecutorial discretion. She participated in planning and executing murders yet walked free with time served. While her testimony proved critical to securing Banfield’s conviction, some will reasonably question whether justice was fully served when a co-conspirator receives such leniency. The defense certainly made this argument, though the jury ultimately found the prosecution’s case compelling despite the deal.

This case should prompt online platforms, particularly those catering to alternative lifestyles, to implement stronger verification systems and safety protocols. It also raises questions about vetting procedures for federal law enforcement officers. How does someone with the character flaws necessary to orchestrate double murder gain and maintain a position of public trust? The answers matter for preventing future tragedies and restoring confidence in institutions designed to protect rather than harm citizens.