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Au pair pleads guilty to manslaughter in connection with double murder linked to affair
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Au pair pleads guilty to manslaughter in connection with double murder linked to affair

Virginia au pair pleaded guilty Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2023 murders of his employer’s wife and another man.

Juliana Peres Magalhaes’ employer, Brendan Banfield, was charged with murder last month in the case, a year after Magalhaes was arrested and charged.

Prosecutors said Magalhaes and Banfield began an extramarital affair in August 2022, and by the fall of that year, Banfield expressed a desire to “get rid” of his wife, Christine Banfield, according to the plea agreement obtained by ABC News.

Over the following months, Brendan Banfield would allegedly develop this plan, according to prosecutors. However, Magalhaes declined to continue at several points, prosecutors said, and allegedly did not believe Banfield would move forward, according to the plea agreement.

In the lead-up to the double murder, Brendan Banfield allegedly created a profile on the sexual fetish site FetLife, where he met a man named Joe Ryan, the plea agreement details. She then allegedly had Magalhaes call Ryan, posing as Christine Banfield, to confirm that the two were willing to have sex at her home with the use of “restraints,” according to prosecutors.

When Ryan arrived at the home in February 2023, Banfield allegedly shot him in the head and then stabbed his wife to death, according to the plea agreement. Magalhaes then also shot Ryan, prosecutors said.

Magalhaes then allegedly called 911 and pretended that Ryan had been an intruder, prosecutors said.

Magalhaes initially faced second-degree murder charges in connection with Ryan’s death. On Tuesday, Magalhaes pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter.

He could face up to 10 years in prison.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 21, after Banfield’s trial in February.

“Today’s agreement marks an important step forward in this case, and is an important step forward in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” Fairfax County Prosecutor Steve Descano said in a statement read outside court. . “Much of the information that led to this settlement cannot be made public at this time due to the upcoming criminal trial against the other defendant in this matter.”

ABC News’ Cristina Corbin, Briana Stewart and Gemma Schneider contributed to this report.

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