Those accused of the murder of Chancellor Mariel Franco and the driver Anderson Gomez, on March 14, 2018, in Rio de Janeiro, will be tried by the Ministers of the First Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on February 24 and 25, 2026.
The criminal case being processed in court, according to the report of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, involves Counselor of the Office of Auditors of the State of Rio de Janeiro (TCE-RJ) Domingos Brazão; former federal MP Chiquinho Brazão; Rio Rivaldo Barbosa Civil Police Chief; Rio Military Police Major Ronald Paulo Alves Pereira; Robson Calixto Fonseca the fish.
Understands
- The rapporteur of the process, Moraes, asked Dino to include the trial on the agenda of the First Committee.
- All defendants were arrested and tried for the murder of Mariel and her driver Anderson Gomez.
- The trial is scheduled to be held in two sessions in February.
Investigations by the Federal Police (PF) indicate that the Brazão brothers killed Mariel to prevent the councilor from continuing to harm their interests due to disputes over land regulation in the western region of Rio.
Rivaldo, who served as chief of the civil police, provided intellectual support by guiding the perpetrators of the crime so that Mariel would not be killed during trips involving the city council. The understanding of the Federal Police, confirmed in the complaint filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PGR), is that, for Rivaldo, if the crime occurred in this way, the investigation could be federalized – that is, it would be subject to scrutiny by the National Police.
Investigators also indicate that Ronald Paulo worked to monitor Mariel’s routine and provide information to carry out the crime. He even accompanied the Chancellor’s movements and, according to the National Front, on the day of the murder, he passed the agenda to the perpetrators. The police officer was mentioned in reports as one of the main militiamen of Río das Piedras (RJ).
Robson Calixto Fonseca is accused of belonging to the criminal organization responsible for the crime, acting as an intermediary between directors and enforcers, in addition to managing an irregular real estate business linked to the group.
They were all reported by Ronnie Lisa, the accused who admitted carrying out the shots that killed Mariel and Anderson. He was sentenced to 78 years in prison, according to a decision issued by the Fourth Jury Court of Rio de Janeiro, in October last year, along with Elcio de Queiroz, who was sentenced to 59 years in prison.
Judgment
The dates are set after the completion of the entire preliminary phase of the process, which included witness testimony, questioning of the accused, and the presentation of final arguments by the Office of the Prosecutor, the Assistant Prosecutor, and the Defense.
All of them are responsible for premeditated murder, attempted murder and criminal organization – crimes related to the death of Mariel and the driver Anderson Gomez – and the attempted execution of Councilor Fernanda Gonçalves. They all remain detained, either in prisons or under house arrest, as in the case of Chiquinho Brazão.
Councilor Mariel Franco and driver Anderson Gomez were shot dead on March 14, 2018, in central Rio de Janeiro. But the crime remained unsolved for nearly six years. After an operation carried out by the Federal Police, on March 24 last year, those behind the murders were arrested.