Au Pair Pleads Guilty in Virginia Double Murder

Juliana Peres Magalhaes, an au pair, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with a double homicide involving her boss, Brendan Banfield, and his wife, Christine Banfield, in Virginia. Prosecutors allege that Magalhaes and Banfield conspired to kill Christine and a stranger, Joseph Ryan, framing Ryan for the murder. The plea deal requires Magalhaes to cooperate with the prosecution against Banfield, who was indicted for aggravated murder. Blood spatter evidence revealed that the crime scene was staged, contradicting the couple's claims that Ryan attacked Christine. In a separate case, Shanna Gardner and Mario Fernandez are facing trial for allegedly plotting to murder Gardner's ex-husband, Jared Bridegan, in an ambush shooting in Jacksonville, Florida. Both cases highlight the complexities of domestic and interpersonal violence leading to tragic outcomes.