Virginia housewife pleads guilty to manslaughter in gruesome double homicide

A housewife from Virginia pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday in connection with the murders of 2023 the wife of her employer and another husband.

Juliana Perez Magalhas’ employer, Brendan Benfield, was charged with murder last month in the case — a year after Magalhas was arrested and charged.

Prosecutors said Magalhaes and Benfield began an extramarital affair in August 2022, and in the fall of that year Benfield expressed a desire to “get rid of” his wife, Christine Benfield, according to a plea agreement obtained by ABC News.

Brendan Benfield allegedly fleshed out the plan over the following months, according to the indictment. However, Magalhaes did not want to proceed on several counts, prosecutors said, and allegedly did not believe Banfield would comply with the plea agreement.

In the run-up to the double murder, Brendan Benfield allegedly created a profile on sex fetish website FetLife, where he found a man named Joe Ryan, details of a plea deal. He then allegedly forced Magalhaes to call Ryan, posing as Christine Benfield, to confirm that the two were willing to have sex at her home while using “restraints,” according to prosecutors.

When Ryan arrived at the home in February 2023, Benfield allegedly shot him in the head and then stabbed his wife to death, according to the plea agreement. Magalhaes also shot and killed Ryan, prosecutors said.

Magalhaes then allegedly called 911 and pretended Ryan was the intruder, prosecutors said.

Magalhaes initially faced charges of second-degree murder in connection with Ryan’s death. On Tuesday, Magalhaes pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter.

She may face up to 10 years in prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 21 following Benfield’s February trial.

“Today’s agreement marks a significant step forward in this case and is an important milestone in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” Fairfax County District Attorney Steve Descano said in a statement read outside the courthouse. “Much of the information that led to this agreement cannot be released at this time due to the upcoming criminal trial against another defendant in this case.”

ABC News’ Christina Corbin, Briana Stewart and Gemma Schneider contributed to this report.