A Virginia-based nanny, entangled in a scandalous affair with a married man, shared a provocative selfie depicting herself in a bathtub with him just months prior to his alleged involvement in a murder case.

Juliana Peres Magalhães, an au pair from Brazil, posted an intimate photo on social media in December 2022, capturing a moment with former IRS agent Brendan Banfield. The pair appeared cozy in a bubble-filled bath, with Banfield’s face strategically hidden by a large emoji, while Magalhães leaned against him, sporting a mischievous grin.

‘Oh my God, I’m so incredibly in love, I’ve been smitten since July of last year,’ the caption, written in Portuguese, said. The image was shown to jurors during Banfield’s ongoing murder trial last week. 

Banfield currently faces accusations of fatally stabbing his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and another individual, Joseph Ryan, 39, on February 24, 2023. At the time the photo was taken, Magalhães was employed as the couple’s live-in nanny, responsible for caring for their four-year-old daughter.

According to prosecutors, 40-year-old Banfield and Magalhães, who moved into the family home following Christine’s death, allegedly conspired to lure Ryan to the residence through a BDSM website.

Prosecutors said Banfield, 40, and his lover, who moved into the home with him after his wife died, worked together to lure Ryan to the married couple’s home through a BDSM website. 

As part of the scheme, they made an account under Christine’s name and tricked Ryan into thinking he was being invited over to roleplay breaking into the home and raping her at knifepoint, the jury heard.

After sneaking into the family’s home, Banfield allegedly shot Ryan, then stabbed his wife to death before making it seem like he had found her injured and was trying to save her life, the prosecution said. 

Juliana Peres Magalhães, the Brazilian au pair who had an affair with Brendan Banfield, shared a steamy image of them in the bathtub just months before his wife was murdered 

Banfield, 40, is accused of stabbing his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, to death on February 24, 2023, as part of a twisted plot to be with his young mistress. The couple is seen with their young daughter

The bathtub selfie wasn’t the only picture shown to the jury, as two other revealing snaps showed them spending time at a gun range and fondling each other under a table. 

The image, captioned ‘The hottie takes a really good photo. HAHAHA,’ showed Magalhães aiming a gun at a target as her highlighted hair was tucked under shooting earmuffs. 

Another snap showed Banfield’s hand on her thigh while they sat at a table on New Year’s Eve in 2022. ‘My New Year,’ she wrote on the image alongside several emojis, including a heart and teary eyes. 

The splendid life she portrayed in the snaps quickly came to an end after Magalhães was arrested in October 2023 and charged with murder. 

She pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea deal in exchange for cooperating in Banfield’s prosecution. 

Meanwhile, Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the killings of Christine and Ryan. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.

He is also charged with child abuse and felony child cruelty in connection with the case, as his young daughter was at the house on the morning of the killings. He will face those charges during the trial.

The revealing selfies come after jurors heard Banfield moved his mistress into his marital bed shortly after his wife was killed. 

Another image, displayed in court last week, showed Magalhães firing a gun at a shooting range. She captioned the image: ‘The hottie takes a really good photo. HAHAHA’ 

Another snap showed Banfield’s hand on her thigh while they sat at a table on New Year’s Eve in 2022. ‘My New Year,’ she wrote on the image alongside several emojis, including a heart and teary eyes

Joseph Ryan, 39, was shot to death that day as well. Prosecutors said Banfield and his lover lured  Ryan to the married couple’s home through a BDSM website and tricked him into thinking he was being invited over to roleplay breaking into the home and raping Christine at knifepoint, the jury heard

Magalhães was sleeping in the bed Christine had shared with her husband eight months after the murders, Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told the court on Thursday. 

Fortner first entered the residence in February 2023 as part of the investigation into the murders and photographed the home, including both the primary and Magalhães’s bedrooms, Fox News reported.

When he visited the home again eight months later, ‘red, lingerie-style clothing items’ and a yellow t-shirt with green trim that had previously hung in the au pair’s closet had been moved to the master bedroom, he testified.

They had gotten new flooring, new bedroom furniture,’ Fortner said, noting how photographs that once featured the Banfields had been ‘taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together.’

The lead crime scene detective assigned to the case also told the court Thursday how he found the murder weapons in the master bedroom.

‘The knife was found underneath the blankets, between the edge of the blanket in the bed,’ Det. Terry Leach said.

‘[The] only thing we could see when we arrived was the handle. And the knife was on its backside – so it’s blade up – and then the handle is towards the bed.’

Investigators also found two handguns in the room, which Leach said he later determined had been moved from their original locations after first responders arrived on scene and tried to save Ryan’s life.

Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told the court that he saw ‘red, lingerie-style clothing items’ and a yellow t-shirt with green trim, which had previously hung in the au pair’s closet, were moved to the master bedroom (pictured)

Photographs in the bedroom that once featured the Banfields had been ‘taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together,’ the investigator testified

The bodies of both Ryan and Christine were found in the bedroom.

During her testimony last week, Magalhães, who looked worlds away from her glamorous self, revealed that the pair had planned to be together after Banfield’s wife and Ryan were murdered, according to a letter brought up in court.

In a letter to her brother, written in August 2024, Magalhães informed her family that Banfield wanted to move to Brazil with her and build a house. 

Magalhães also revealed that she has been in contact with producers while behind bars about buying the rights to her story that might one day be presented on a streaming service.

Those producers have acted as her ‘support system’ as they help fund her prison life by paying for her communications and commissary, she detailed.

‘They have become my support system, so they be helping me with money to communicate with my mom, my family in Brazil and whoever I want to communicate with,’ the au pair said during cross-examination with her lover’s defense attorney.

During her testimony last week, Magalhães revealed that the pair (pictured together) had planned to be together after Banfield’s wife and Ryan were murdered, according to a letter brought up in court

She added: ‘And money to my commissary and that stuff.’

When asked during the trial if producers had ‘thrown a number out for your story,’ Magalhães said ‘Yes’ and that she intends on sharing ‘the truth.’

She said she has not finalized a deal with them yet.

Banfield’s trial is set to resume on Tuesday. His lover will be sentenced after it ends in about three to four more weeks.