Virginia double-murder case ends with life term for mastermind of catfishing scheme

Brendan Banfield, a former IRS agent, received a life sentence without parole after being convicted of orchestrating a deadly catfishing plot that killed his wife Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan in their Virginia home; the scheme also involved au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and got 10 years after cooperating with prosecutors. Banfield was found guilty in February on two counts of aggravated murder, a firearms charge, and child endangerment. A judge described the crimes as cruel and calculated. Magalhaes testified for the prosecution; Banfield pled innocence, claiming the system failed him, and he has 30 days to appeal.