A young mother was fatally shot in Rio de Janeiro, allegedly as part of a plot orchestrated by another woman to claim custody of the victim’s four-year-old daughter. Gabrielle Cristine Pinheiro Rosário, 21, turned herself in to authorities after nearly two weeks following the death of Laís de Oliveira Gomes Pereira, who was gunned down on a city street while pushing her youngest child in a stroller.
Authorities swiftly investigated the murder and determined that Rosário, 25, had hired two men to carry out the shooting on Tuesday, November 4, due to a custody dispute over the victim’s daughter. Following Rosário’s arrest, a police spokesperson confirmed that the evidence collected, including witness testimonies and cell phone records, pointed to her involvement in ordering the crime.
Rosário’s defense attorney denied any knowledge of the arrested men connected to the murder, indicating that they were allegedly paid 20,000 Brazilian Real for the deed. Police revealed that Rosário had exhibited “obsessive” behavior towards the child, with text messages suggesting her involvement with the two men and knowledge of Pereira’s movements before the shooting.
In a separate case, adult film star Devyn Michaels, 47, was found guilty of murdering her ex-husband, Johnathan Willette, 46, after he gained sole custody of their two children. Willette’s headless body was discovered at his residence, wrapped in blankets and covered in chemicals, inciting prosecutors to assert that Michaels acted out of jealousy.
During Michaels’ trial, prosecutor John Giordani presented crime scene photos and recounted how Michaels confessed to using a “candlestick-like” object to harm Willette during a massage, resulting in his death. Michaels claimed that Willette stopped moving after the incident, as revealed in court video footage.