Banfield Appeals Murder Conviction | Washington DC News

Washington DC News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 18, 2026 · 1m

Brendan Banfield, serving a life sentence for the chilling “au pair affair” murders of his wife Christine and Joseph Ryan, is preparing a fresh appeal after a judge rejected his prior bid to overturn the conviction. The case, centered on a twisted plot involving IRS agent Banfield and au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães, alleges they conspired to kill Ryan to avoid a divorce and be together — using a catfishing scheme. Prosecutors say Banfield shot Ryan with his service weapon while Magalhães also fired; Banfield insists Ryan stabbed his wife and Magalhães shot Ryan in self-defense. Magalhães…