Catfish Conspiracy: The Murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan

When a husband walks in on a stranger attacking his wife, he responds with lethal force. The police immediately respond to the bizarre but seemingly straightforward scene, however after some things don’t add up, the investigators take a closer look at all of those who lived in the house — and the secrets they were keeping.

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Sources:

1. “Au Pair Killed Man on Employer’s Order, Attorney Says | Wusa9.Com.” Wusa9.Com, 4 AD, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/au-pair-charged-murder-shot-man-in-home-on-orders-of-her-employer/65-f26e3592-71aa-4c17-963e-b06f36946b38.

2. Augenstein, Neal, and Abigail Constantino. “Fairfax Co. Au Pair Charged in Fetish Website Killing Visited Gun Range with Victim’s Husband, Prosecutors Say - WTOP News.” WTOP News, WTOP News, 1 Apr. 2024, https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2024/04/fairfax-co-au-pair-charged-in-fetish-website-killing-visited-gun-range-with-victims-husband-prosecutors-say/.

3. “Banfield Double Murder Trial Set for October amid Evidence Disputes | Articles | Fairfaxtimes.Com.” Fairfax County Times , https://www.facebook.com/FairfaxCountyTimes, 1 Aug. 2025, https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/banfield-double-murder-trial-set-for-october-amid-evidence-disputes/article_07534e1d-c3e9-454d-8924-652fe7c82f26.html.

Big Shakeup in Cheating Husband’s Nanny Murder-for-Hire Case. YouTube, 30 July 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIda09pZBIQ.

1. “Christine Ann Banfield Obituary February 24, 2023 - Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc.” Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc., Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc., 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.moloneyfh.com/obituaries/christine-ann-banfield.
2. “Christine Ann Benson Banfield (1985-2023) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250098758/christine-ann-banfield. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
3. “Defense in Fetish Sex Murder Case Challenges Catfish Theory – NBC4 Washington.” NBC4 Washington, NBC4 Washington, 11 July 2025, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/defense-in-virginia-fetish-sex-murder-case-challenges-catfish-theory/3954723/.
4. Department, Fairfax County Police. FCPD Press Conference: Husband Charged in Reston Double Murder. YouTube, 16 Sept. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FtB5IZ4kjM.
5. Diaz, Olivia. “Blood-Spatter Analysis Helped Investigation into Husband Charged with Killing Wife and Another Man | AP News.” AP News, AP News, 27 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/brendan-banfield-au-pair-double-murder-virginia-f4dc3fa2ac1975587991d0d0755e8f18.
6. “Fairfax County Prosecutor Taken off Au Pair Double Murder Case after Drinking Incident.” WJLA, https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-prosecutor-taken-off-au-pair-double-murder-case-after-drinking-incident-brendan-banfield-eric-clingan-commonwealths-attorney. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
7. “Former IRS Agent Charged in 2023 Deaths of Wife and Other Man, Officials Say.” Https://Www.Wsaz.Com, https://www.facebook.com/wsaz3/, 17 Sept. 2024, https://www.wsaz.com/2024/09/17/former-irs-agent-charged-2023-deaths-wife-other-man-officials-say/.
8. Grace, Nancy. GLAM AU PAIR, 23, PLOTS STAB DEATH OF LOVE-RAT-BOSS’ WIFE? YouTube, 25 Apr. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Dii0e34y8.
9. Li, David K. “Wife’s Murder Connected to Elaborate Sex Fetish-Based Plot, According to Au Pair.” NBC News, NBC News, 27 Aug. 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wifes-murder-connected-sex-fetish-plot-rcna227473.
10. Madani, Doha. “Brazilian Au Pair Takes Plea Deal, Cooperates in Virginia Double-Murder Case against Former Boss.” NBC News, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/brazilian-au-pair-takes-plea-deal-cooperates-virginia-double-murder-ca-rcna177847.
11. Moore, Jack. “Months after 2 Killed in Shooting-Stabbing in Fairfax Co., Family’s Au Pair Charged with Murder in 1 of the Slayings - WTOP News.” WTOP News, WTOP News, 19 Oct. 2023, https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2023/10/months-after-2-killed-in-shooting-stabbing-in-fairfax-familys-au-pair-charged-with-murder-in-1-of-the-slayings/.
12. “Nanny Arrested in Herndon Double Murder That Left Woman, Man Dead | Wusa9.Com.” Wusa9.Com, 10 AD, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/herndon-virginia-double-murder-arrest-au-pair/65-0bc9e39f-ff7e-4485-88cd-d4d8f9e564b0.
13. Reinstein, Julia. “Virginia Au Pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Gruesome Double Murder of Christine Banfield, Joe Ryan - ABC7 New York.” ABC7 New York, 30 Oct. 2024, https://abc7ny.com/au-pair-pleads-guilty-in-gruesome-double-murder-in-virginia/15484909/.
14. Sanchez-Cruz, Rafael. “911 Audio Introduced as Evidence in the Herndon Double Homicide | Wusa9.Com.” Wusa9.Com, WUSA, 6 AD, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/911-audio-introduced-as-evidence-in-the-herndon-double-homicide-case-brendan-banfield-juliana-peres-magalhaes/65-8a3aa334-68ef-4a16-853c-76998297a7e7.
15. Serre, Jared. “Double Murder Trial for Herndon Man Postponed to next Year | FFXnow.” FFXnow | Fairfax County, Va. Breaking News and Local Happenings, https://www.facebook.com/ffxnow/, 16 Oct. 2025, https://www.ffxnow.com/2025/10/16/double-murder-trial-for-herndon-man-postponed-to-next-year/.

19. The Au Pair Affair Murder Alleged Murder Plot | Vinnie Politan Investigates. YouTube, 17 July 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssCuksMz3XQ.

20. Vinnie Politan Investigates: Husband & Au Pair Murder Trial. YouTube, 8 Oct. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y02p0BjDOt0.

1. Woolsey, Angela. “Reston Au Pair Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting and Stabbing Case | FFXnow.” FFXnow | Fairfax County, Va. Breaking News and Local Happenings, https://www.facebook.com/ffxnow/, 19 Oct. 2023, https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/10/19/reston-au-pair-charged-with-murder-in-fatal-shooting-and-stabbing-case/.

22. New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/article/brendan-banfield-murder-wife-au-pair.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wU4.PTLq.V5QS0LJWhPK5&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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Credits: Love Murder is hosted by Jessie Pray and Andie Cassette, researched by Sarah Lynn Robinson and researched and written by Jessie Pray, produced by Nathaniel Whittemore and edited by Kyle Barbour-Hoffman

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