Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Virginia organized a demonstration that gathered approximately 200 students on Thursday. During the event, the attendees requested that reporters refrain from conducting interviews. Meanwhile, in Reston, Virginia, a live-in au pair has been arrested and charged with murder following a seven-month investigation into a double homicide involving a shooting and a stabbing at the family’s residence where she worked.
The Fairfax County Police Department announced that 23-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Joseph Ryan. Peres Magalhaes is currently being held without bond. The incident occurred on February 25 when officers responded to a 911 call reporting an injured woman. During the call, a man informed the dispatcher that he shot an unknown man who had entered his home and stabbed a woman.
Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered Christine Banfield, a 37-year-old resident of Herndon, with stab wounds in an upstairs bedroom. Nearby, they found Springfield resident Joseph Ryan suffering from gunshot wounds. Tragically, Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene, while Banfield was rushed to a nearby hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Detectives determined that Peres Magalhaes had made the initial 911 call, and Brendan Robert Banfield, Christine Banfield’s husband, also joined the call. The investigation is still ongoing, with detectives actively reviewing evidence to determine the circumstances leading to the deadly stabbing of Christine Banfield. It has not been confirmed whether Ryan stabbed Banfield, and the police have not provided an explanation as to why he was inside the home. Notably, there were no signs of forced entry.
The Fairfax County Police Department is urging anyone with information about the incident to contact their Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800 or provide an anonymous tip through Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.
