Live-In Au Pair Charged with Murder in Reston Double Homicide

 


In Reston, Virginia, a live-in au pair is facing murder charges following an extensive seven-month investigation into a double homicide that involved a shooting and a stabbing at the family's home where she worked. The person in question is 23-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes, who has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of 39-year-old Joseph Ryan. She is currently held without bond.

On the morning of February 25th, at around 8 a.m., the police received a distress call from a woman who reported that her friend had been injured at a residence on Stable Brook Way. During the call, a man got on the line and explained that he had shot an unidentified man who had entered his home and stabbed a woman. When officers arrived at the scene, they found 37-year-old Christine Banfield from Herndon with stab wounds in an upstairs bedroom. Nearby, they discovered Ryan, who was from Springfield, with gunshot wounds to his upper body. Ryan was pronounced dead on the spot, while Banfield was taken to a nearby hospital and later declared deceased.

Through their investigation, detectives concluded that Peres Magalhaes had made the initial 911 call, and that Brendan Robert Banfield, the husband of Christine Banfield, had joined the call. After conducting interviews and analyzing forensic evidence, the police believe that Peres Magalhaes was the one who shot Ryan. The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue to examine evidence to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal stabbing of Christine Banfield. It's worth noting that the police haven't confirmed whether Ryan was the one who stabbed Banfield or provided an explanation for his presence in the house. Additionally, there were no signs of forced entry, as reported by FOX 5.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Fairfax County Police Department's Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800 or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.

Comments