Brazil: former congresswoman sentenced to 50 years in prison for her husband’s murder

The former Brazilian federal deputy of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Flordelis dos Santos, was sentenced on November 13 to 50 years in prison for being found guilty of organizing the murder of her husband in 2019, as resolved by the Criminal Court of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro state.

Dos Santos, 61, was sentenced to 50 years and 28 days “in an initially closed regime, for consummated triple qualified homicide”. It was reported by the criminal court in Rio de Janeiro state.

The former parliamentarian had been imprisoned since August 2021 after losing her legislative privileges when she was removed from the seat obtained in 2018 by the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Her husband, evangelical pastor Anderson do Carmo, was killed on June 15, 2019, with 30 bullets in the garage of their home in Niterói when he returned from a walk with Dos Santos, who alleged that upon arrival, she climbed the stairs and never saw him alive again.

Dos Santos was also found guilty of attempting to murder her husband with poison on at least six occasions, as well as forgery of documents and armed illicit association.

Last year, the woman was charged before the Rio de Janeiro justice system for having planned the murder of her husband, 42, with whom she had 55 children, including natural and adopted children.

“She was responsible for planning the murder, in addition to having convinced the direct perpetrator and other defendants to participate in the crime by simulating a robbery and having financed the purchase of the weapon,” said the accusation.

In the case of Do Carmo’s murder, Simone dos Santos Rodrigues, the biological daughter of the former congresswoman, was also sentenced today to 31 years in prison, while four adopted children and a granddaughter were acquitted.

Another biological son of Dos Santos, accused of being the author of the shots, and a man considered the “affectionate son” for having acquired the gun, had already been sentenced for the crime a year ago.

According to the accusation, the murder was arranged because “the victim maintained a rigorous control of the family finances”.

Born in the favela of Jacarezinho, Flordelis dos Santos met Anderson do Carmo in 1994. Since then, they have had four biological children and adopted more than 50 babies, vulnerable children, and adolescents, with whom she founded the Evangelical Community Flordelis Ministry.

Their story inspired the film Flordelis (2009), directed by Marco Antonio Ferraz, who expressed his regrets about making it after the severe accusations.

With information from AFP