The murder of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan | Ep 236

Summary

Crime and Coffee Couple Podcast
Episode 236: The Murder of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan
Release Date: March 15, 2026
Hosts: Allison & Mike

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the chilling and complex double homicide of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan in Herndon, Virginia. Hosts Allison and Mike, true crime aficionados with a blend of wit and respect for victims, dissect the murder conspiracy led by IRS agent Brendan Banfield and his 21-year-old au pair lover, Juliana Perez Magal. The episode emphasizes motivations rooted in selfishness and ego, highlights investigative breakthroughs, and considers the wider impact on the innocent, especially Christine’s young daughter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Banter & Setting the Tone [00:48 – 09:04]

• Allison and Mike ease into the episode with their trademark light banter about family life, home improvement, and quirky snacks—providing some comfort before delving into the grim subject matter.
• Mike reflects on a quote from The Almanack of Naval Ravikant:
  “You always have three options in everything you do. You can change it, you can accept it, or you can leave it.” [07:00]
• This leads to a brief reflection on taking agency in one’s life versus passively complaining.

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2. The Murder Plot Unfolds [09:10 – 14:38]

• Listener request: This case was suggested by listener J.C. Lynn.
• Overview: Brendan Banfield, instead of seeking a divorce (which would disadvantage him financially and in custody), decided murder was a more “convenient” solution.
• Christine Banfield was a respected ICU nurse with a history of helping trauma victims; her social media revealed deep engagement with the au pair program—ironically, the source of her undoing.

  “It is opening your home and your heart up to someone with big dreams of changing their life...and in the process, they changed your life more than you could measure.” – Allison reading Christine’s Instagram post [12:35]

• Explanation of au pairs versus nannies; how 21-year-old Juliana from Brazil entered the Banfield household as their live-in au pair.

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3. The Crime and Its Aftermath [14:38 – 24:00]

• Brendan and Juliana began a sexual relationship 10 months after Juliana started working for the family.
• Brendan tells Juliana he needs to “get rid of” Christine.
• February 24, 2023: Multiple 911 calls from the Banfield house lead police to a bloody scene: Christine stabbed, Joseph Ryan shot dead.

Timeline of Events:

• Juliana claims to return to the house with their daughter after forgetting lunches.

• Brendan calls 911, claiming to have shot a man (Joe Ryan) supposedly stabbing his wife.

• Christine and Joe both die; the four-year-old daughter found unharmed.

• The official story from Brendan and Juliana: Joe, a stranger, attacked Christine, then Brendan and Juliana killed him in defense.

• Investigation finds no forced entry; the explanation begins to unravel.

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4. The FetLife Connection and Deeper Scheme [19:39 – 35:13]

• Investigation uncovers that Brendan created a FetLife account for Christine to lure an unsuspecting man for a supposed rough-sex scenario.

  “According to a later plea agreement...it was Brendan who created this profile under his wife’s name and using his wife’s photo… in order to lure a stranger.” – Allison [20:15]

• Joe Ryan was selected at random after he expressed interest in the online rough-sex listing; he had no prior connection to the Banfields.

• Friends and family adamant the FetLife communications do not match Christine's personality or interests.

• Allison notes clues in the FetLife messages—awkward phrasing suggesting English wasn’t the primary language of the writer (possibly Juliana).

• After the murders, evidence shows Juliana and Brendan moved in together, erasing Christine from the home.

  “Her clothing was hanging in Christine's closet...every photo in that house of Christine was gone.” – Allison [23:57]

• Prosecutors present evidence of premeditation: gun range practice, coordinated alibis, upgraded home security, cell phone replacements.

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5. Motive, Patterns, and the Trial [26:27 – 39:43]

• Brendan had a history of affairs; former mistresses describe his disregard for loyalty and family.

• Juliana agreed to a plea deal to testify against Brendan, leading to reduced charges and sentence.

  “Her attitude shifted…she did not want to spend the rest of her life in prison for something she didn’t do.” – Allison [31:34]

• Trial paints Brendan as the mastermind, with Juliana much younger and emotionally manipulated.

  “Of course, she was in love, probably. She's young. She did kill somebody… but I don't believe she might be possible to do it again. Whereas Brendan is a complete scumbag—burn him alive, he's useless.” – Mike [47:01]

• Prosecution accuses Brendan of orchestrating the entire scheme to kill his wife and frame Joe (the random victim) to start a new life with Juliana.

  “The whole scheme was arranged because Brendan wanted to pursue a life together with his lover. And by the way, give it five years—he was going to be bored with Juliana, too. That’s just the kind of guy this is.” – Allison [33:17]

• Details of how Brendan and Juliana faked online activity, established alibis, and created a plausible-seeming “rape fantasy” to lure Joe.

• At trial, Brendan claims innocence, saying he was trying to defend his wife; the digital and forensic evidence contradicts him.

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6. Verdict, Sentencing, and Reflections [44:15 – 49:45]

• Jury convicts Brendan Banfield on all counts after only eight hours of deliberation.

  "They found him guilty on all counts on February 2nd." – Allison [44:25]

• Juliana is sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter but will likely serve ~67% of her sentence due to credit for time served, potentially released in 2030.

• Brendan awaits sentencing and faces life in prison without parole (death penalty has been abolished in Virginia).

• Emphasis on the real victims: Both Christine and Joe were loving, ambitious people with families and futures.

  "Both Joe and Christine were so much more than just headlines...They were two human beings who were loved... Their lives were lost in a sudden, brutal, senseless act..." – Allison [48:13]

• Allison: "Although affairs will no doubt leave broken trust, hearts and families, they should never end with lost lives… what a selfish, selfish act." [49:32]

• Mike calls Brendan "the worst possible human being," wishing for lasting justice. [50:05]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the banality of evil:

  “It’s always chilling to me—when I go back after this person is deceased and I look at their Instagram page, and you think, you have no idea that the person you’re standing next to is planning your murder.” – Allison [11:18]

• On the FetLife setup:

  “Keep in mind, I know this guy’s a scumbag, Brendan, but that’s not a terrible idea. ...He’s going in a direction that might make sense if he tries to get away with it.” – Mike [20:38]

• On the brutality and randomness:

  “He was a perfect stranger to Juliana and Brendan. He was just a tragic little role in this plot... He fit the bill because he was satisfied with that one phone call.” – Allison [48:13]

• On sympathy for the child:

  “Their four year old little girl will not be raised in her stable family home with her parents.” – Allison [48:59]

• On satisfaction and selfishness:

  “People like this are just never satisfied with what they have. They always want something different, they always want something more.” – Allison [52:11]

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [09:10] – Case Introduction & Background
• [14:38] – Affair, Motive & Planning
• [19:39] – FetLife Account and Luring the Victim
• [23:57] – After the Crime: Erasing Christine
• [26:27] – Investigation Reveals Affairs & Motive
• [31:10] – Juliana’s Plea Deal & Turn Against Brendan
• [33:17] – Trial Begins; Prosecution & Defense Strategies
• [35:13] – Digital Manipulation & Alibis
• [39:43] – The Act Itself & Forensic Evidence
• [44:25] – Verdict, Sentencing, and Emotional Closing
• [48:13] – Remembering the Victims

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The Crime and Coffee Couple’s Closing Thoughts

• The hosts maintain their signature mix of banter and empathy, interrupting reflections on the horror of the case with dry humor and relatable spouse-to-spouse exchanges.
• Deep respect is consistently shown for victims Christine and Joe, with regular reminders not to lose sight of their humanity.
• Strong condemnation of Brendan’s arrogance, manipulation, and the irreparable harm done to his own child.
• Mike summarizes:

  “You are a scum of the earth. Just like the worst possible human being. Everybody wishes you were never born.” [50:05]

• Allison and Mike stress the tragedy of “senseless selfishness” and the importance of keeping the victims’ memories alive, urging listeners to support each other and choose positive actions.

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For Listeners New and Old

• Perfect for those who want a detailed, honest exploration of a haunting case, balanced by the warmth and wit of a seasoned true crime podcasting couple.
• The episode underscores how shocking violence often emerges from banality, secrecy, and the inability to simply walk away from a relationship.

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To learn more, or for bonus content, visit crimeandcoffeecouple.com

Transcript

[A]

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[A]

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Crime and Coffee Couple. My name's Allison.

[B]

And my name's Mike.

[A]

Hi, Mike.

[B]

Hello. How's it going, my gorgeous bride?

[A]

I am just delightful. I am so glad I finally, finally got you in this frickin chair.

[B]

It's hard to get me down and sitting down, folks, because I'm a busy guy. I get things done. You know me. Allison mostly sits around all day and eats Skittles. Well, no longer. She snapped her teeth, but now that she has dentures in dentures. Now her thing is swig. So if she's not getting a swig for herself.

[A]

Oh, will you go today and get me one? I want an Island Time.

[B]

Are your legs broken?

[A]

Yes, if you have a swig near you. My favorite is Island Time, which is a fresco based drink and it's got like fresh orange in it.

[B]

Oh, that's when you got yesterday?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Oh, it is fricking awesome. Like it's heaven. Like if there's a. I think they're a private company, but if there's a way to like invest in them, I would do it, man. They're. I just. It's really simple. Just sodas and a bunch of crap to throw in your sodas. Like it's anything that you want. I'd imagine there's probably like a billion combinations. Maybe not quite that much, but a lot.

[A]

Our kids also like their pretzel bites. They have the regular pretzel bites and then the sweet ones.

[B]

You know, when the kids ask for food things, food stuffs from like your Starbucks and your swigs and those things. It pains me inside because that's where they make all their money. And not that I don't want them to make money, but there's like a huge profit margin on all their foods. Like the Friggin pretzel bites are like three or four bucks. I don't even know at swig.

[A]

Yeah, maybe $3, which to me, I don't know. That's not very bad.

[B]

God forbid you go to Starbucks and get. Did you like Reese? Our daughter wanted one of those Dubai chocolate bites. I thought it was bites, like five of them.

[A]

So she is convinced because this is a newer item, she thinks that whoever's picking the food up for her is eating one of them.

[B]

No.

[A]

So she thought her brother ate one, which is legitimate because I could potentially see him doing that, but not really. And then you picked him up and she's like, oh my gosh, someone else ate my Dubai bite. And I was like, reese, I think only one comes in it.

[B]

Yeah, you would think it'd be two or three or God forbid five, because it's like four bucks.

[A]

And it's not big.

[B]

No, it's a little tiny. If you ever eat those like Entenmanns mini muffins or what? I don't know.

[A]

Or like a mini donuts.

[B]

Yeah, like even smaller than like about that size. Yeah, mini donut. Like a donut hole from Dunkin Donuts.

[A]

Not as small as a donut hole.

[B]

For sure. Yeah, it's a little bit bigger, but like a mini brownie bite or something like that. It looks like a brownie bite. Exactly. And it's like, yeah, four bucks. And I thought, I thought it was bites. So I opened the bag to look and see what it looks like. What am I getting for five bucks here? And it's one like turd looking thing in the bottom of this bag.

[A]

It's like Dubai bite.

[B]

Yeah, Dubai bite. Dubai bite. It says Dubai bit on the thing.

[A]

Oh, it says bites. Well, because that would be misleading if it said bites.

[B]

Right? So I looked, I'm like, it's better not say bites because I'm only getting one bite out of this.

[A]

Only Mike would whip his phone out and be like, I'm making sure there's not an S on this.

[B]

And I looked at the picture on Starbucks app and I was just like, okay, maybe they should. I don't even.

[A]

A bunch of crap.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, it sucks. But man.

[A]

So another. We're in other news, we've been doing some home improvement projects, which Mike just loves to do.

[B]

Home improvements. Probably my least favorite thing in my life.

[A]

Why is that?

[B]

I don't know. There's some psychological thing. If you're a psychologist and can tell me why, like you. You guys already know I'm cheap and Frugal and stuff like that. But why do I. I know it's because money goes out. I hate spending money. Hate it. Hate it.

[A]

We haven't been doing very expensive projects because we had that leak in our house, if you're not new to us. And we got a check from our insurance company, so it's covered. And like, last weekend, we bought paint. I mean, that was like, maybe a hundred dollars. And. And then you put together a vanity. Like, to me, making those improvements that are necessary in the house just make life so much easier in the long run. Like, our laundry room is being redone, and it's so much nicer now, like, to walk in and out of there. You don't spend very much time in there because I'm the one scooping the cat litter and doing the laundry.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But to me, it makes such a difference in my mindset when things are nice and tidy.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they're. They're fixing a part of the house. They may as well do some other stuff while they're there. Saves us a little bit of money. But it's like, man, I don't know. I don't know why I hate it so much. I just. I like. I'm fine with spending money on, like, a vacation, because that's an experience. Right. But I hate. I'll tell you what I hate. Like, spending money on a new roof. Like, you spend 20, 30 grand, and all you have is a roof. I had a roof before. Now I have a roof. And it's like, nothing to show for it. No enjoyment, no excitement. Like, even a new air conditioner, that's like, what, 8 to 10 grand? What? I don't even know that's what I

[A]

was going to bring up. It's like spending that money on an air conditioner. It's like.

[B]

Yeah, but it's. At least you get, like, better air and, like, the bill goes down a little bit and. But it's. That still sucks, too. I'd rather do something fun.

[A]

Yeah. And I understand that you want to have experience. I get that. But at the same time, we live in this house. We have to be comfortable. It has to work for us.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Getting nice, pretty tile makes us more comfortable.

[A]

It makes me so much more comfortable.

[B]

Get the hell out of here. You just lost the entire argument with it.

[A]

That tile brings me great joy. It's kind of. I don't know if it's, like, retro, but it's got, like, these starbursts.

[B]

It reminds me a little of, like, cathedral almost you know, I don't know, like, it sounds terrible.

[A]

Know I'm making cathedral.

[B]

Well, like churchy. I don't know, old timey.

[A]

Unless cosmic stars look like church.

[B]

No. Yeah. But like, I don't know what to say.

[A]

It's called Cosmo Blue. But when it's done, we'll post a picture of it so you can see what it looks like.

[B]

It actually does look pretty cool. And then before we get going, I've been reading lately before I go to sleep. I've been trying to keep my. So I. I have a rule now. If I get in bed, no phone. That's my thing. Right.

[A]

That's good. Cuz you were usually always on your cell phone. I can't wind down if I'm using my cell phone.

[B]

Yeah. And I can, but it's just. I read crap. And then by the end, it's like 11:30 at night. I'm like, I just threw away an hour of my time. I could have slept. Yeah. Instead I'm reading crap about just stuff that doesn't matter. Like, I like learning things and it's good and all that, but it's just like, I don't know. At the end of the day is like, am I a better person for reading on the Internet for an hour? No. So now I'm reading on a Kindle, which helps, you know, get me a little more sleepy. And I'm reading this thing by. It's called the Almanac of Naval Ravikant. And he's.

[A]

Every time you say his last name,

[B]

I think, oh, A K a N,

[A]

T. So to be clear, I think of. See you next Tuesday.

[B]

Yeah, well, that's right. But this one's R A V, I K A N T. So he's like a successful businessman and he's looked at as like a kind of a thought leader, which is kind of a lame name anyways. But the thought leader thing. But he's. He's an interesting guy. Interesting guy. And then, you know, you could pick up things and not. Or whatever. Just gives good ideas. And the one thing, I brought up, like several things to you and our son these past, like, few days. Because it's just hitting me and I'm bookmarking it and this one's like, you always have three options in everything you do. You can change it, you can accept it, or you can leave it. Like, which one are you going to do? Like, if you just sit there and stew. And it's like, I wish I had a better job. It's like, okay, well, you can change it. You can accept it or leave it. Like, what's.

[A]

And I still am not sure on what the difference is between accept and leave it.

[B]

I think leave it is just get it out of your mind, like, kind of thing. But I guess accepting it would be the same thing.

[A]

To me, those are the two kind of similar things.

[B]

Okay, well, maybe I didn't come quite to it, but it helped me kind of look at things. Broke enough of my brain barrier to be like, that's kind of interesting.

[A]

Oh, I agree with that wholeheartedly. I can't stand it when people just complain into the ether and they don't do anything to change their circumstances. I've known people like that, and if I find a problem, my natural instinct is to just want to solve it. So I'll have people at work, and they're like, oh, my gosh, I'm so busy. And then I have to grocery shop. I'm like, why not just do Walmart grocery delivery?

[B]

Don't tell Allison that you will not do grocery delivery because it rocks her world. She's like, I don't know why you wouldn't. And I agree.

[A]

It's kind of like when people are like, oh, I like to peruse the aisles. It's like when I say I have my Kindle and how much I love it, and they're like, I love a physical book. I'm like, just because things were harder back then doesn't mean they still need to be harder now.

[B]

There's a romanticism. I get that. People like to feel it and, like, smell it, I guess, but it's not me. I don't care.

[A]

But no. No judgment. Like what you like.

[B]

Do what you do.

[A]

I'm not gonna yuck your yum.

[B]

No, yuck the yum. But there's definitely no heming or Han.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that was our big thing, because I was saying to our tile lady, I'm like, yeah, I don't. I'm a quick decider when it comes to home decor and design. I don't hem and haw. And so I was saying to Mike, there's no hem and no ha and no wish and no washing. Right?

[B]

Right. That's my G. So.

[A]

So, on that note, anything else you want to add?

[B]

No.

[A]

All right, are you ready to dive into this dark roast, hot, hot, steaming hot cup of coffee?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

All right, let's do this. So this is a listener suggestion from J.C. lynn. And this is the murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan. So when the average person finds that they're no longer in love with their spouse and they typically cut their losses and file for divorce.

[B]

Yep, that's what I would do.

[A]

Although divorce can be an exhaustive emotional process, a rational person realizes that this would be a far better option than murder. Right? Wouldn't you think that? Yeah.

[B]

And that's. I commented on somebody's comment the other day on YouTube or whatever and it was like, yeah, man, there's so many better things you could do than this. I'm like, unfortunately we wouldn't be telling the story if these idiots chose the worst way to do things.

[A]

I just can't wrap my head around how these days people think think they could get away with murder. I don't know what kind of ego you have to have to think that you are going to get away with murder.

[B]

It's mental illness or stupidity. I don't know.

[A]

I don't know. I think it's a big fat ego, so. However, there are still some who find themselves planning, executing and covering a murder believing that they're going to get away with it, free to walk away without any repercussions. The root of such evil, when it comes to murder versus divorce, it tends to stem from financial gain or from a life with another person. According to Virginia IRS agent 39 year old Brendan Banfield, although he wanted to leave his wife and run off with their Brazilian au pair turned lover, divorce, it simply wasn't an option because not only would his wife end up with more money than him, but she would potentially also have custody of their four year old daughter. So Christine Benson met Brendan Banfield in 2002 when she was a freshman at Quinnip Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. They married eight years later in June of 2010, and they spent time living on Long island before relocating to Virginia right around 2018 when their daughter was born. And it's always chilling to me when I go back after this person is deceased and I look at their Instagram page, if it's not private, and you comb through and it just looks like a normal happy life and you look at their face in these photos and you think you have no idea that the person you're standing next to is planning your murder.

[B]

That's in their head like actively while you're smiling together.

[A]

It's so chilling to me. So before Christine accepted a position as a pediatric intensive care nurse at Inova Fairfax Hospital in 2019, she had previously worked as a sexual assault nurse slash forensic examiner at the Family Violence and Rape Crisis center on Long Island. And she had worked there since 2015. And that's just such an important job because you're dealing with people that in the rawest, most vulnerable, scared positions. And it seemed like she had the exact personality to deal with these traumatized women. So according to her obituary, her colleagues described her as a dedicated nurse. She was a strong patient advocate, someone who went above and beyond during the uncertain times of the pandemic, working in the healthcare field. She mentored new nurses, connected with families, and she really took on every challenge that was presented to her. She was a go getter, she. And she was incredibly kind, genuine. She was a giving person, and she was also an amazing mother to their young daughter. So based on Christine's Instagram page, she was very passionate about the au pair program. As In September of 2021, this is about a year and a half before her death. She was a bridesmaid in her former au pair's wedding. And under a photo with her daughter and her former au pair, she wrote a caption. A lot of people don't understand the au pair program, but this is it right here. It is opening your home and your heart up to someone with big dreams of changing their life when in America. And in the process, they changed your life more than you could measure.

[B]

I didn't know that that's kind of the program. I didn't know there was like an au pair program. I thought you just talked to, like, you call somebody an au pair.

[A]

No, no. And I'll talk a little bit more about that. However, only one short month after she made this post, Christine and Brendan hired their new au pair from the outskir, Sao Paulo, Brazil. And this would change everything. So although nannies and au pairs both help with ch child care, an au pair is integrated into the family. They have a room within the home. They live and eat their meals with the family. They basically become a family member. And they're normally between 18 and 30 years old. They come from another country as part of a cultural exchange, sometimes on a special au pair visa. And they receive much less money than a nanny would because it's more about the experience of them coming over to another country and living in your home. So they don't have living expenses, which

[B]

is one of the biggest expenses there are, especially now. It's like, well, you're getting free housing, right? And food and all that. And it's like, mostly taken care of.

[A]

So they basically receive pocket money so that when they're free, they can go off and do their own thing. And the host family is providing them a place to live.

[B]

I need an au pair.

[A]

So Juliana Perez Magal was only 21 years old when she found a post through the Cultural Care au pair agency and she began working as a living au pair for Brendan and Christine Banfield. She started this position in October of 2021. But only 10 short months later, she and Brendan began a sexual relationship. And it wasn't long before he told her that he wanted to marry her and have children with her.

[B]

Maybe I don't need no pair.

[A]

So however, before they could do such a thing, he would have to get rid of his wife. And you can have an au pair because you're not a scumbag and you're not going to sleep with her.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

That's the differ difference there.

[B]

But so she told him that he needed to kill the wife or he

[A]

just thought, he said, I want to marry you and have your children, but first I have to get rid of my wife. So on the morning of Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, police officers responded to the Banfield's large home that was situated in an affluent area on a cul de sac. This was on Stable Brook Way in Herndon, Virginia. And they were coming to the house in response to a 911 call. So the first call came through just before 8am, but within minutes the caller hung up at least twice. When a third call was placed 13 minutes later, Juliana as well as Brendan were on the line. And Juliana first told the dispatcher that her friend was hurt. And Brendan went on to explain that he had shot an unknown man who allegedly barged into their home and began stabbing his wife. So when first responders arrived to this house, they were met with a horrifically bloody scene. They said that the carpet was so saturated that the blood went through the padding and down to the subfloor. And this is where they found 37 year old Christine in an upstairs bedroom with stab wounds to her upper body. And meanwhile, there was a man who was soon identified as 39 year old Joseph Ryan, and he was lying nearby with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. So while Joe was pronounced dead at the scene, Christine was transferred to an area hospital. But sadly she was later pronounced dead. So the scene was very confusing since officers were initially unsure if Joe had been the person to stab Christine. There were also questions of how was he related to the family, why had he been in their home at 8:00 in the morning, you know, on a random weekday? But because of course, both Joe and Christine were deceased. Now they only have Brendan And Juliana's version of events to go on. So officers found no sign of forced entry in the Banfield's home, and their four year old daughter was found unharmed in the basement. And she was taken from the scene by officers who also confiscated two guns in one knife. So detectives immediately began conducting interviews, while the police chief indicated that at the time, Brendan was refusing to speak with Fairfax county police. On the other hand, though Juliana, she was being cooperative. And she indicated that when they entered the bedroom, Joe Ryan was about to stab Christine. So they shot him because they were trying to protect her. So according to Juliana, she and the couple's daughter had left the house sometime after 7 o'. Clock. They were going to the zoo that morning, but because they forgot their lunches, Juliana turned around and came back. And by this point, Brendan had also left for work, leaving Christine at home alone. And she was sleeping. So as Juliana pulled up to the house, she was kind of surprised because she saw an unfamiliar car that was parked outside. So she wasn't sure what was going on because when she left the house, Christine was sleeping. So she picked up her phone and called Brendan. And when he arrived, they both walked into the house together. They sent Jul the daughter down to the basement. Now, again, this is only Juliana's version of events. I'm not saying that this is true by any means. So after she took their daughter down to the basement, she began hearing a commotion. And when she went upstairs to investigate, she could hear Brendan yelling, drop the knife. So Brendan, who worked as a criminal investigator for the Internal Revenue Service, he had told the 911 dispatcher that he fired his service weapon at this man, the stranger who was stabbing his wife. He shouted out to Juliana, telling her to get the second gun from the bathroom, and he gave her the code to that safe. So after she got the gun, she fired at Joe, indicating that she was acting in self defense in order to protect this family. And she was also following orders from her employer, AKA Brendan. So according to a medical examiner, Joseph Ryan, who lived in Springfield, Virginia, and he was shot twice, once in the head and once in the chest. It was actually Juliana shot to his chest that had been the fatal blow. So prosecutors would later reveal that Joe had exchanged messages with a profile that depicted a photo of Christine on the website FetLife. So according to their website, FetLife is the most popular social network for the BDSM. And if you're not familiar with what that stands for, it's bondage, discipline, slash domination, sadism and masochism. It's also Fetish and King Community, and they have nearly 13 million members.

[B]

Yeah, I'm one.

[A]

Are you?

[B]

No, just kidding.

[A]

So I was funny because I was going to this website to check it out, and I'm like, oh, gosh, what sort of things are going to be popping up in my feeds now?

[B]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. You're gonna get all sorts of advertisements.

[A]

So, no, no judgment at all to anyone. Because my biggest thing is if that's what you're into and the parties are all consenting, you do you.

[B]

Yeah, do whatever you want.

[A]

So it's said to be a community for everyone, to help people feel comfortable with who they are sexually. So according to a later plea agreement, prosecutors indicated that it was Brendan who created this profile under his wife's name and using his wife's photo.

[B]

And how did they find that?

[A]

So, just through investigations. So they did this in order to lure a stranger. Now, it just so happened to be Joe Ryan.

[B]

Oh, my God. What a horrible stroke of luck.

[A]

I mean, and how do you come up with this idea? Like, I'm gonna make an account under my wife's name, and I'm gonna find anyone who's willing to come to my house.

[B]

Keep in mind, I know this guy's a scumbag, Brendan, but that's not a terrible idea. It's not a terrible.

[A]

I mean, I. And I hate to say this, but, I mean, I. I agree with that. Like, sometimes what people do, it's just blatantly insane.

[B]

Like, stupid.

[A]

This is also insane. Evil.

[B]

Oh, he's a scumbag. Everybody that knows us knows us is. Yeah, whatever. But it's. It's a. I mean, he's going in a direction that might make sense if he tries to get away with it. I don't know.

[A]

So when Joe made these arrangements to come to the Banfield home, he had been under the impression that it was for rough sex. So he arrived with a knife and restraints.

[B]

Rough sex.

[A]

That was all planned out. So according to his friends, he was very open about his activity on FetLife. It wasn't something that he hid from his people in his life, including his mom. Like she even knew. So those that knew Christine indicated that the messages that were discussing her potential rendezvous with Joe did not at all sound like her. There was also no evidence that she had been into knife play, binding or other similar sexual activities. I liken it to. If my co workers found out that I was on fet life, oh, man.

[B]

If there's somebody that would never sign up for FetLife, I think you'd be that leading person?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

If we're talking vanilla ice cream, you are vanilla ice cream.

[A]

Sometimes you might put a little chocolate sauce on top, but that is as far as you go. We wouldn't even put nothing nuts on that.

[B]

No nuts at all in your vanilla. There's definitely no cherry on top, no cherries, nothing.

[A]

But the point is, Christine sounded, you know, she had a four year old daughter. She was working as a pediatric intensive care nurse. It's just not where she was in life. It wasn't what she was into.

[B]

It wasn't thought out. Like, you'd have to have shipped her some things from Amazon like, months before, right? I mean, like, well, this is a new thing she was into. And I wasn't really in a. You know, I put that story together. Be like she was really wanting me to, and I just told her I wasn't into it. So apparently she went to FetLife and

[A]

found her own person, you know, and again, it's bad. I hate to bring it back to myself, but it's just like if I were to end up dead and this person was shot that I met on FetLife, nothing else in my life fits that narrative.

[B]

No. Everybody would be like, there is no way Mike definitely killed her.

[A]

So her co workers were adamant that under no circumstance would she have arranged such a meeting, let alone so early in the morning, only just after her husband and daughter had left the house. And not only that, but some of the sentences were oddly phrased, which suggested that it was either a typo or a sign that English had not been the person's first language. So, for example, there was the question, how has been your experience on this site? You know, and Juliana is from Brazil, so that kind of fits the bill. So in October of 2023, eight months after Christine and Joe's murders, when police came back to the Banfield home, now with a warrant to arrest Juliana for second degree murder in Joe's death, just Joe's death, they realized that she had moved into the primary bedroom to sleep with Brendan. This is the same room where both victims had died. And sitting on the bedside table was this frame photo of herself with Brendan. Her clothing was hanging in Christine's closet. What lingerie was strewn across the bed. And meanwhile, every photo in that house of Christine was gone.

[B]

Okay?

[A]

She had been erased from this house.

[B]

I mean, we already knew they were together, but, man, that's like just a smoking gun.

[A]

Total red flag. Because imagine if, you know, that were to happen again to me and you Would never erase my existence. If I was murdered in our house and, like, her dog, wouldn't you want your. Your wife's memory to live on for your daughter and to have the photos in the house?

[B]

Well, yeah, because I want to be playing the game that I was innocent. You know, I'd be grieving husbands. Yeah, I'd go to, you know, just be like, I'm not ready for anything yet. And, like, keep that on the down low. Not have everything strewn about and lingerie laying.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Just so stupid.

[A]

So prosecutors revealed that she and Brendan had practiced shooting at a gun range two months before the murders. And Brendan actually returned to the range to purchase the Glock that had been used to shoot Joe shortly before the murders. They each replaced their cell phones. And on the morning of the killings, when Juliana said that, she called Brendan to alert him about a stranger in his home. He had left the house that morning to go to work, but instead of doing that, he had been just waiting outside of a nearby McDonald's, as if he was waiting for that phone call to come through. So Brendan was arrested during a traffic stop in September of 2024. This is nearly a full year after Ju Liana's arrest in over a year and a half after his wife's murder. He was charged with aggravated murder after forensic experts found evidence that supported the prosecutor's theory. Excuse me. That the victims had been moved after they had been fatally injured. Forensic analysis also proved that Joe's arms had been moved and smeared with Christine's blood to make it look like he had been the person to stab her to death. Death prosecutors also submitted evidence to the court of Brendan's romantic relationship with Juliana, which is a clear motive as to why they would have done this. So according to authorities, Juliana and Brendan had been scheming Christine's death after starting a romantic relationship in August of 2022. In the six months before the murders, they traveled to New York City together, taking romantic photos together during their visit. And I was thinking in my head, I wonder how they arranged that meeting without rising up Christine's suspicions. And it was probably just, oh, gosh, I'm going on a business trip, and this would be an amazing trip for Juliana.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, who's from Brazil, to experience the Big Apple. So I'm, you know, imagining that it was fully supported by Christine. So other women.

[B]

I don't know. That's still pretty weird, right?

[A]

I mean, maybe, but there's also, like, an 18 year age difference here.

[B]

Well, yeah. So women would be like, oh, he Would never. But like, men, like, all men are like, yeah. I mean, possible, sure.

[A]

So the other thing is, other women came forward to inform detectives that he had participated in multiple affairs throughout their marriage.

[B]

Scumbags, man.

[A]

Total scumbag.

[B]

Like, he makes life worse. Like, that is just like, I. I can't stand men that cheat on their wives, like, openly. It's just, it's the worst. Like, you're such a scumbag father and husband and man, it's just like, buck up, get a divorce and move on.

[A]

Like, why did you get married? Like, why did you get married and start having kids?

[B]

I don't know, man.

[A]

I don't get it. If you want that bachelor life, go do it. No one cares.

[B]

So some people want to taste different things, you know, different flavors. You don't like going to the same restaurant all the time. I get it, I get. I agree. But like, sometimes you can feel that and be like, well, you know, you got to get over that hump or whatever, but it's just like, you don't act on it.

[A]

No. So one woman in particular indicated that over the course of their one year long affair a few years previously, Brendan would constantly promise to leave his wife. And he would make comments that it would be so much easier if she wasn't around. But she never thought anything like, that she would. He was gonna murder her. He just thought like, had I not gotten married is the way she saw it. So they had met in 2013 on a sugar baby website. I had to look that up. I'm like, what exactly is a sugar baby website? It's basically like a much younger person and you're going to be their sugar daddy.

[B]

I got laid off from a job like 10 years ago, and I had to just find the first job became available, and I became a salesperson at this startup software company. And there was like three young girls, like, freshly out of college that would like doll themselves up and put them on websites just like that. And I'm like, I felt I talked to these girls. I'm like, you know, come on, you're better than this. Like, you don't need to like, settle. And they're like, no, I'm not. Don't worry, I'm not settling. She's like, this is just. Right now, I just want them to buy me some purses and some jewelry and stuff, and maybe I'll do some stuff with. But I'm like, man, that's so. I don't know. I. I mean, I guess whatever makes you happy, but I don't feel like that's true happiness, you know?

[A]

No, I don't think so either. When you're relying on someone just for their finances, I always question, like, is the foundation true love, or is it more the person's bank account?

[B]

Well, does that add to the true love? Because there's security in money, right?

[A]

Yeah, there is. But there's been doctors that I've worked alongside who not only do they look atrocious, but their personalities are garbage. Just trash.

[B]

Yeah, but you've worked alongside some good doctors, too, though.

[A]

Oh, yeah. 100. I'm not saying anything about doctors. I'm saying that then I'll see their profile on Instagram. And they've got this smoking hot wife, right? And I'm like, I don't know that she's with him for his personality or his looks.

[B]

Well, luckily, us ugly guys can make some money and find hot chicks. Somehow I got you as a hot chick. And I don't make anything.

[A]

Please. I always think, too. In gym class, this one girl, I was like, what are you gonna go to college for? She's like, oh, I'm not going to college. I was like, well, what do you want to do for a living? And she's like, I don't. She's like, my plan is to find a rich guy and marry him.

[B]

That's okay. I mean, again, don't yuck someone's yum.

[A]

Okay. I'm trying hard not to.

[B]

It's okay, but.

[A]

Okay. So they would even meet up at Brendan's house during times when Christine was away. And then afterwards, she would see him deep cleaning the house because she had a distinctively different hair color than Christine, So it would be obvious that she was in the house, and she could see that he was really getting off on the fact that he was hiding, successfully hiding this affair and getting away with it. So although Juliana was initially charged with second degree murder for Joe's death, on October 28, 2024, she signed a plea deal to plead guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. And with this agreement, she was to cooperate with prosecutors in the case against Brendan. So she was going to to spill it all out on the table in order to get him convicted in exchange for a recommended sentence of time served. So her sentencing was set to happen at the conclusion of Brendan's trial. And I'll tell you that this all just happened. Actually, when I first researched this case, he was still actively in trial. So in earlier letters that Juliana wrote after her arrest In October of 2020, three to Brendan's mom, who just so happened to be paying for her attorney. She planned to take the blame for both of them. However, this is something that police officers kind of knew was going to happen.

[B]

If I may. So Brendan's mom was paying for Juliana's legal fees, even though Juliana was flipping on Brendan?

[A]

Yeah. No. At this point in time, Juliana's letters were, I am gonna take the blame for both of us.

[B]

Got it. Got it.

[A]

But investigators had the feeling, because they've seen this play out time and time again, was that she was gonna flip. And lo and behold, she did.

[B]

Oh. And so they're like, oh, yeah, go ahead. Pay for legal fees. And we've seen this every single time. She's going to flip because she's not going to want to be deported or whatever. Right.

[A]

Spend the rest of her life in prison.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So as time went on, this exact thing happened. Her attitude shifted, and her letters to Brendan indicated that she did not want to spend the rest of her life in prison for something she didn't do.

[B]

I. I can't. I would love to see the look on Brendan's mom's face when she's like, I just paid for that. B Words, legal fees. It'. Yeah. Well, your son's a piece of crap and murdered his mother of his children

[A]

and your granddaughter's mother.

[B]

Yeah. Good. Well, tough crap. Tough cookies.

[A]

Tough cookies. So she expressed that she was upset with him for not visiting enough, because, of course, she. He was arrested much after her, and in that time frame, he was really not coming around much to visit. Another stupid mistake. You want someone to take the blame for both of you, go visit her.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Do whatever she wants.

[A]

So Brendan Banfield pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder for the deaths of Christine and Joe. And the trial began with jury selection on Monday, January 12, 2026.

[B]

Oh, man. I just looked up a picture. He looks like a penis.

[A]

He's a total penis. He's a walking, just vanilla penis.

[B]

That's good. Okay, keep going.

[A]

So opening statements in the Fairfax County, Virginia, court began the following day. And because his daughter had been at home on the morning, and he knew that. That Juliana was with her daughter, that he was also charged with child abuse and felony child cruelty. Good. And rightly so. So prosecutor Jenna Sands accused Brendan of orchestrating a scheme of luring Joseph Ryan to his home under the guise of meeting Christine for a rape fantasy in order to kill him and frame him for his wife's murder. I mean, that is quite a story.

[B]

Horrible.

[A]

So the whole scheme was Arranged because Brendan wanted to pursue a life together with his lover. And by the way, give it five years, he was going to be bored with Juliana, too. That's just the kind of guy this is.

[B]

Yeah. Breaking news. You're never going to be happy.

[A]

You're never going to be happy. As soon as the newness. Newness wears off, you're done. So jurors were told that he was responsible for both murders and urged them to find him guilty. So defense attorney John Carroll accused prosecutors of pressuring Juliana to lie against her ex so that a conviction could be secured against him.

[B]

Can't do that.

[A]

So this was done when she was in a vulnerable position, thousands of miles away from her home country and in prison. He said that she had maintained her innocence for a year, but eventually changed her story in exchange for what he referred to as a sweetheart of a deal. Carol also said that he would present digital forensics. And this pisses me off so bad that it was Christine who had directly engaged with Joe on FetLife. So imagine being her family and knowing with everything in your soul that your daughter did not get on FetLife and create this account.

[B]

Well, you never truly, truly know. Right, but. So Brendan's saying he'll show forensic things.

[A]

No. His attorney saying, well, then show it.

[B]

I bring it. Bring it up.

[A]

Well, he doesn't. Wasn't.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So Juliana testified that Brendan confided in her as early as October of 2022 that he wanted to get rid of his wife so that they could be together and live a life together. And he indicated that due to their finances and custody of their child, divorce, it just wasn't an option. So in January of 2023, this is when they made this fake profile for his wife that was created on FetLife Life in order to lure a man. It just so happened to be Joseph Ryan. They weren't targeting him. He's just the one that responded in the way that they wanted.

[B]

Just a random, random man.

[A]

Yep. How sad is that? So they each participated in writing the post using similar language, but it was Brendan who had created the profile under the username Anastasia9. So they were careful to only post when Christine was at home, because Brendan knew if she was pinging at work and doing the messages there, that was highly unlikely. So they would wait for her to be home again.

[B]

I mean, he thought it out.

[A]

He did. So they would take turns leaving the house so that their cell phones would ping off towers to prove that they were out and about while she. And I'm putting that in quotes was chatting online.

[B]

Oh, and like you send the one person out to take both cell phones.

[A]

Probably.

[B]

Yeah. And then one stays there and probably on the computer. That's the way to do it.

[A]

It. So Christine, who worked as a pediatric ICU nurse, she often left her backpack just sitting by the door. And this had her, you know, laptop and the backpack. So they could easily walk up to it and take it out and do what they would with it.

[B]

Like yours.

[A]

I just, like I don't secure mine because I trust the people that I'm living with.

[B]

It is secure, but we all, we all know the codes.

[A]

Well, sure. So although several fetish users showed interest in Anastasia nine's rape fantasy, she and Brendan would stop chatting with anyone that wanted to meet in person beforehand at a location other than their home. And that makes sense, you know, for safety purposes. So when they found Joe Ryan, they knew that he would be the perfect victim, since he was not only enticed by the fantasy itself, but he was placated by a simple phone call where Juliana pretended to be Christine. So while posing as Christine, Brendan communicated with Joe over the course of a month. Month. And they were arranging this elaborate scenario in which Joe would act out an arranged rape fantasy. He was instructed to enter the house through an unlocked door, sneak up to the bedroom and tie Christine up before cutting her clothes off and raping her. And he was told to not stop even if Christine begged and called out for help.

[B]

How sinister and disgusting.

[A]

Because he knew she would. Because she doesn't know this guy. She doesn't know this arrangement.

[B]

So sad.

[A]

So posting as Anastasia9, the agreement was for Joe to come by the banfield's house at 7:30 in the morning that Friday. Which is why her co workers are like what would. She would Never make a 7:30 in the morning arrangement minutes after her daughter and her husband left the house. So Brendan knew very well that his wife would be the only one home and she would still be sleeping. She'd be highly vulnerable at this moment. Moment. Joe said that he would bring the supplies with him to engage in their sex play. This included zip ties, a knife, chains and lube. And police photos captured these items in his backpack as well as a Walmart receipt for the lube that he purchased. So as they got prepared, Juliana and Brendan traded in their cell phones in order to hide evidence. And Brendan also upgraded his home's windows for improved soundproofing.

[B]

Wow. They really thought this out.

[A]

So according to Juliana, he had her go out on the drive way and then he stood up in the bedroom, screaming, and then asked her, could you hear anything? And she's like, no, not really. He also scoped out all of his neighbors homes to see who had doorbell cameras.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

So the duo selected Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, as the day that they would finally go through with their murder plot, since they concocted ruses to leave the house themselves, ensuring that Christine was going to be home alone. Juliana had told Christine that the other au pairs were talking, or, excuse me, taking the children that they watched to the zoo. So Christine got online. She bought them tickets. So while they left under the guise of going to the zoo with a child, Brendan left the house for work. But rather than, like I said, going to work, he just waited at a nearby McDonald's for Juliana's phone call.

[B]

Got a quick egg McMuffin before he goes to murder his wife.

[A]

So before he left, he turned Christine's phone off, left it in a kitchen drawer so that he would. Or, excuse me, she would be unable to call for help. And he unlocked the front door just as he told Joe that would be the case. So imagine this just horrible human being, if you even want to call him that. Making these arrangements, getting in his car, pulling out, knowing what lay ahead for his wife, and. And just being able to. To go through with it.

[B]

Like, in no world is this a better option than just getting a divorce. I like. You like, you started this whole episode. It's just. Man, well, okay, you're gonna get away with it. Like, I. I don't see that happening. Like, that just doesn't happen. Like, I don't know, maybe.

[A]

So rather than driving to the zoo, Juliana parked the car down the street and she waited for Joe's arrival. A call log from Brendan's phone proves that she called Brendan at 7:37 and 7:38am Only minutes after Joe indicated that he would be arriving, because he said he was arriving at 7:30. He arrived about seven minutes late. So when she saw him pull up, she called both Christine and Brendan's phone, because she's trying to establish that I'm calling to see, like, who is this guy? So they took the child down to the basement, and when they got upstairs, they found Joe on top of Christine, who was lying on the floor. And according to Juliana, when she reached the bedroom, Brendan yelled, police officer. So meanwhile, Christine, who was utterly terrified and confused, having just been woken up by a stranger on top of her, yelled back, saying, brendan, he has a knife. And this was when Brendan shot Joe in the head with his service Issued gun while Christine screamed out to Juliana to call 91 1. So after she dialed 91 1, Juliana hung up when Brendan motioned for her to do so. And she went to the bathroom for towels. And once she came back, she saw Brendan stabbing Christine repeatedly in the neck.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

And while this was happening, Juliana said that she was pacing around, squatting down and covering her eyes. When Juliana noticed that Joe was still moving, she shot him in the chest. And like I had said, this was the shot that ultimately killed him with the gun that Brendan had given her that morning. And after that, she called 911 again. This time, Brendan had given her the go ahead to do so. This testimony varied from what she was heard saying on body cam footage on the morning of the murders. She was saying, well, Brendan told me to shoot Joe. And that's where she's like, I was doing it on the orders of my employer in order to protect her. So according to Joe's mom, Deirdre Fisher, her son had spoken to her about his consensual role play. But he was a very gentle, non violent person. And she remembers every horrible detail about the moment that she learned of her son's death. When she got the phone call from the detective, she could hear someone screaming, and that was the moment she realized it was her own voice. She said she felt as if she was standing outside her body hearing that her son had been killed. When Brendan went to the hospital with Christine, Juliana took their daughter with her to police headquarters. When the medical examiner testified, he indicated that the wounds that each Christine and Joe had suffered were rapid fatalities that would have resulted in their deaths within seconds to minutes. Dr. Megan Kessler testified about the numerous bruises and abrasion to Christine's arms and legs, most of which did not appear to be more than 48 hours old. It was unclear if they had been sustained at or close to the time of her death. So it just goes to show how hard she fought. Christine's father testified that his daughter had suffered from a lifelong blood disorder that made her very prone to bruising and excessive bleeding. His testimony suggested that because of her condition, never in a million years would she have messaged Joe about this knife play, because even just a little nick could cause her to bleed a lot. So that was just another testimony to support the fact that she would have never arranged for something that had to do with a knife. So defense attorney John Carroll accused prosecutors of developing tunnel vision in terms of blaming Brendan for orchestrating the entire plot while pressuring Juliana to lie. So when Brendan Took the stand in his own defense. He admitted, yeah, I had an affair with Juliana. But he had denied that he and Juliana had ever concocted this murderous plot. He claimed that the very idea was absolutely crazy. According to his version of events, when he went back into the house that morning, he came upon a strange man who was trying to rape and stab his wife. So he simply did what he had to do. He shot him. So after a little bit more than eight hours of deliberation, Mike, what do you think the jury came back with?

[B]

This is an interesting one. It seems like he had a lot of his.

[A]

His.

[B]

His things, like, kind of taken care of, but it's just, like. It's so obvious that he did it. They gotta say guilty, Otherwise, I'm not gonna have any respect.

[A]

So they found him guilty on all counts on February 2nd. And I'm sure there was other information that just wasn't available to me, that they could see Juliana just sitting in her car down the street. They probably talked to the other au pairs and said, did you guys make an arrangement to go to the zoo? And they were all like, oh, we didn't.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So I'm sure there was other things to heavily support his. They're both of their guilts.

[B]

Like, there is so much surveillance out there. Like, there's these flock cameras that are in the news all the time that are looking at every single license plate all over your town. I. I promise you, I'm a person that sells this kind of. Not flock. I don't sell their stuff, but I know about it. I see them everywhere because I look for them. I know what they look like. And they. Anywhere you are, like, police have that information now. So, like, doing anything like this is highly stupid, and you will not get away with it. It's a horrible idea.

[A]

And you know the evidence, too, that they were out at the gun range and he just bought this gun, and they. They upgraded their cell phones, and he got these windows. So her testimony is supported by facts.

[B]

Like, none of those things are illegal, but they all supporting.

[A]

Yes. So all of this just really, really just recently happened. He was found guilty on February 2. So, as the verdict was read, Christine's family wept in the front row of the courtroom gallery. In a later statement, they described her as an honest, faithful, caring, compassionate, helpful person who was dedicated to her family, her friends, and her patients. Eleven days later, Juliana was given the maximum sentence for manslaughter of 10 years in prison on Friday, February 13th. Wow. After hearing her tearful apology, Joe's family had given their own mournful statements. I watched part of that trial. And they wanted Christine's family also to speak, because obviously what she did was such a betrayal to Christine. But the trial was only for Joe's murder, so only his family was given the opportunity to speak. And in the meantime, the judge called this case the most serious manslaughter scenario that the court had ever seen. She basically reamed her out, saying, you had around six months to change your mind, yet you continued on with this plan. And because of you, all of this happened. And obviously Joe. Or excuse me, Brendan. So 11 days later, or. Excuse me. So she'll receive credit for time already served. And under the Virginia law, she'll likely serve about 67% of her sentence, meaning that she could be released in about four years and two months, which. Ugh. This gives her a potential release date around April of 2030.

[B]

So here's the thing. Like, she's highly manipulatable and malleable. I don't know what the right word is.

[A]

Yeah, malleable.

[B]

Yeah. It's. It's because she's in a country she's not from, and it's like she was in love, probably. She's young. I mean, she did kill somebody, so that's bad. You got to serve time for that. But, I mean, I don't believe that she might be possible to do it again. Whereas Brendan is a complete scumbag and burn him alive like he's useless. I can't believe he got a position at the irs like a decently. Like a criminal position at that.

[A]

I know, but it sounds like he was a very charming guy.

[B]

Of course.

[A]

Obviously. I mean, if you look up his picture, he looks like a complete dweeb penis. Yet all. All these women were flocking to him. You know, charisma and charm can go

[B]

a long way, so he probably made a ton of money.

[A]

I. I mean, I don't know. I know that Christine was obviously a pediatric ICU nurse, but they lived in a very nice neighborhood.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Huge houses. So I. I'm not sure. He was worried about the divorce because he kept saying that Christine was going to get more money than him.

[B]

Well, okay, that's interesting. They must. Who knows?

[A]

Who knows? So, meanwhile, Brendan, sentencing is currently set for May 8, and he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole as the death penalty was abolished in Virginia in 2021.

[B]

That's fine.

[A]

I'm assuming he's going to get life in prison. So Joe Ryan was a beloved son, nephew, and Grandson. He had been a perfect stranger to Juliana and Brendan. He was just a tragic little role in this plot that they concocted. He made a response to Anastasia9's profile and he fit the bill because he was satisfied with that one phone call. And those that love Christine went on to remember her and keep her memory alive. Especially for her daughter. Because she was only four years old when her mother was killed and now she is going to be raised without either of her parents. Both Joe and Christine were so much more than just headlines attached to a salacious case case. They were two human beings who were loved. They had families, they had plans and futures that should still be playing out for decades to come. Their lives were lost in a sudden, brutal, senseless act that left this four year old little girl again to grow up without either parents. Although affairs will no doubt leave broken trust, hearts and families, they should never end with lost lives. I mean what a selfish, selfish act. Just so he could get his rocks off with his 21 year old au pair, this 39 year old loser with his 21 year old girl. Christine and Joe are no longer on this earth and their four year old little girl will not be raised in her stable family home with her parents. And that is the sad and tragic murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.

[B]

It's so, so horrible. And you, you did a great job of like not forgetting this that Joseph Ryan was like an innocent person in this whole thing. Not that Christine is also innocent too. We're definitely focused on Christine because she was a mother. And now her daughter has no mother and a piece of garbage father. And now she's six or seven years old this year probably.

[A]

Yeah, she should be four or five, six, about seven.

[B]

Yeah. And it's just so incredibly sad. Like Brendan, you think you have everything together. I would love for him to hear this. You are a scum of the earth. Just like the worst possible human being. Everybody wishes you were never born. If you're like his parents or family, like man, I hope you don't procreate because if it was something in the genetic pool that he had, then you know, you really shouldn't for the good of humanity.

[A]

It's just what gets me is if you looked at their live or life, I should say it looked perfect. You know, he had everything. He had a wife who loved him, this beautiful daughter, beautiful home. They both had stable jobs. They were in a position that they had no pair that was helping them out and he, it wasn't good enough for him.

[B]

I wonder if he Thought that he had had more power and connections and stuff because obviously he probably knew some people being in the IRS or, you know, it's. It's kind of like being in law enforcement a little bit. I don't know. I.

[A]

Obviously he thought he was going to get away with it, hence why he went through with it.

[B]

Yeah, he had such an ego.

[A]

So I could never imagine like, okay, it's bad enough that you have planned this, but to actually on the morning of get out of bed and go

[B]

through and be like, yep, we're doing it today.

[A]

I always think about that, like even the case where the dentist spiked his wife's protein shake with the cyanide. Like when he took the scooper out and he put it into the thing and put it into her drink, shook it up and handed it to her and watched her sip it. How do you do that to somebody that you once loved enough to marry and have children?

[B]

You proposed to them, I'm assuming, you know, like, yeah, like you said you had a child, you thought it'd be a great idea to grow a family together and live together, but now you want to murder them. And some random unfortunate guy that just so happened to like respond the way you wanted, like that is so you were okay. Like, okay, I don't even get the whole wife thing. But like sometimes emotions come into play and whatever. We tell those stories all the time. But like I've never heard of just a random guy being involved.

[A]

Like that is the wrong, just a wrong chat box that he clicked on and it's just so sad that they're both gone because he wanted to have this relationship with his 21 year old AU pair. Like I said, he was going to get bored with her. I have no doubt in that. Yeah, people like this are just never satisfied with what they have. They always want something different, they always want something more.

[B]

Chasing that dopamine that you're willing to

[A]

forsake two innocent people, it's sick, it's mind boggling and I will never understand it. And that's why I am so fascinated with true crime. Like what drives a person to do such a thing is beyond me.

[B]

Yep. Hopefully we'll never know.

[A]

Anyway, we thank you guys so much for being here, listening, supporting us. I can't tell you how thankful we are for all of our listeners. It seems like we have just such a positive community. We appreciate you guys more than you'll ever know.

[B]

Keep lifting each other up. I love the comments and stuff of like, just be supportive, man. Even if somebody says something stupid like, I'll try to. Try to put a positive spin on it. That's part of my book I was reading. It's like you have a choice of, like, taking something negatively or positively. Like, what's the word? Like the. If you take something negatively and, like, make fun of somebody or like, you know, you see somebody that has more than you and you're like, oh, man, they don't deserve it. It's like, that's just your ego. That's like being crushed. You're trying to make yourself feel better.

[A]

Like, well, what do they always say? Happy, successful people will. Will usually be the ones to boost people rather than tramp down their success.

[B]

Yeah, I sent you that the other day. And yeah, go make a comment somewhere that you love somebody's hair or nails or like, they're singing. Whatever it is. Give them some positive vibes.

[A]

Yep. And if you guys are running out of regularly scheduled. Sorry I got so gestured.

[B]

Her hands hit the microphone three times an episode because she is so enlivened

[A]

in live, I wildly gesture. You would think I was Italian, but I'm not. But if you're running out of new episodes, feel free to hop on over to Apple subscriptions or Patreon every single Wednesday. We've got you covered, and we hope you're having an amazing week. Stay safe, love one another, live each other up. And until next time, bye.