Ex-IRS Cop Guilty: Life for Wife, Lover's Killings

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Virginia for the murders of his wife and a man he allegedly lured to their home. The prosecution successfully argued that Banfield and the family's Brazilian au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhães, orchestrated a deadly plot.

Magalhães testified that Banfield wanted to eliminate his wife to marry her and gain custody of their daughter, avoiding a costly divorce. They used a sexual fetish website to lure Joseph Ryan to the house in Herndon, Virginia, staging the scene to appear as a violent home invasion.

During the sentencing, Judge Penney Azcarate condemned Banfield's actions as evil and calculated, emphasizing his profound disregard for his wife's life and the devastating impact on their four-year-old daughter. Jurors also convicted Banfield of child endangerment, leading to additional prison sentences.

Banfield maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, claiming he acted in self-defense. However, his lack of remorse convinced the judge to deny any possibility of parole, ensuring he will spend the rest of his life incarcerated.