Former IRS agent sentenced to life for murder plot

Key facts

• Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
• He was convicted of aggravated murder, using a firearm in a crime, and child endangerment.
• The convictions stem from the 2023 murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.
• Banfield's lover, Juliana Peres Magalhães, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a 10-year sentence.
• The plot involved luring Ryan to the home under a false pretense to cover up an affair.

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for orchestrating the 2023 murders of his wife, Christine Banfield, and Joseph Ryan. Banfield was found guilty of two counts of aggravated murder, one count of using a firearm in committing a crime, and child endangerment. The plot involved luring Ryan to the family's home under a false pretense to cover up Banfield's extramarital affair with the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães. Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges for her involvement and received a 10-year sentence. Judge Penney Azcarate condemned the 'cruelty, calculation and inhumanity' of the case, stating it reflected 'evil.' Banfield maintained his innocence during the sentencing, expressing disappointment with the legal system and suggesting authorities did not fully investigate Ryan's death. Loved ones of the victims spoke about Banfield's desire for control and disregard for life. Banfield claimed he shot Joseph Ryan after he came across Ryan attacking his wife.