Catfish Conspiracy: The Murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan

When a husband walks in on a stranger attacking his wife, he responds with lethal force. The police immediately respond to the bizarre but seemingly straightforward scene, however after some things don’t add up, the investigators take a closer look at all of those who lived in the house — and the secrets they were keeping.

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Sources:

1. “Au Pair Killed Man on Employer’s Order, Attorney Says | Wusa9.Com.” Wusa9.Com, 4 AD, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/au-pair-charged-murder-shot-man-in-home-on-orders-of-her-employer/65-f26e3592-71aa-4c17-963e-b06f36946b38.

2. Augenstein, Neal, and Abigail Constantino. “Fairfax Co. Au Pair Charged in Fetish Website Killing Visited Gun Range with Victim’s Husband, Prosecutors Say - WTOP News.” WTOP News, WTOP News, 1 Apr. 2024, https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2024/04/fairfax-co-au-pair-charged-in-fetish-website-killing-visited-gun-range-with-victims-husband-prosecutors-say/.

3. “Banfield Double Murder Trial Set for October amid Evidence Disputes | Articles | Fairfaxtimes.Com.” Fairfax County Times , https://www.facebook.com/FairfaxCountyTimes, 1 Aug. 2025, https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/banfield-double-murder-trial-set-for-october-amid-evidence-disputes/article_07534e1d-c3e9-454d-8924-652fe7c82f26.html.

Big Shakeup in Cheating Husband’s Nanny Murder-for-Hire Case. YouTube, 30 July 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIda09pZBIQ.

1. “Christine Ann Banfield Obituary February 24, 2023 - Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc.” Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc., Moloney Family Funeral Homes, Inc., 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.moloneyfh.com/obituaries/christine-ann-banfield.
2. “Christine Ann Benson Banfield (1985-2023) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250098758/christine-ann-banfield. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
3. “Defense in Fetish Sex Murder Case Challenges Catfish Theory – NBC4 Washington.” NBC4 Washington, NBC4 Washington, 11 July 2025, https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/defense-in-virginia-fetish-sex-murder-case-challenges-catfish-theory/3954723/.
4. Department, Fairfax County Police. FCPD Press Conference: Husband Charged in Reston Double Murder. YouTube, 16 Sept. 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FtB5IZ4kjM.
5. Diaz, Olivia. “Blood-Spatter Analysis Helped Investigation into Husband Charged with Killing Wife and Another Man | AP News.” AP News, AP News, 27 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/brendan-banfield-au-pair-double-murder-virginia-f4dc3fa2ac1975587991d0d0755e8f18.
6. “Fairfax County Prosecutor Taken off Au Pair Double Murder Case after Drinking Incident.” WJLA, https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-prosecutor-taken-off-au-pair-double-murder-case-after-drinking-incident-brendan-banfield-eric-clingan-commonwealths-attorney. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
7. “Former IRS Agent Charged in 2023 Deaths of Wife and Other Man, Officials Say.” Https://Www.Wsaz.Com</