Suspected mastermind’s husband confirms wife had ‘disagreements’ with victim

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The two dealt with matters related to “custody and visitation” of the four-year-old girl, he said in a statement to police. In the report to agents, the man said he learned of Lace’s death after Gabrielle received a letter telling her what had happened. He denied any involvement and stated that he “did not hire, solicit or authorize anyone to cause any harm to his former partner.”

During the investigation of the crime, police interviewed several witnesses who knew Lais and Gabriel. Lais’ brother said the victim received repeated threats from Gabriel via messages on social media. According to him, the differences between the two were related to the dispute over custody and cohabitation with the girl, Lace’s daughter from her first marriage. Custody was shared, and the child spent weekends at his father’s house and Gabriel’s house.

Gabrielle herself gave a statement to police during the investigation. She stated that she has been married to Lace’s ex-husband since 2022 and that she helped her husband pay the girl’s pension. The child’s father and Gabriel’s current husband said he never heard from his wife any intention to harm the victim.

Another witness, who was in a relationship with Lace, told police that the only person the victim had problems with was Gabrielle and that she was “very controlling and wanted to take care of everything.” He also stated that Gabrielle is possessive of the girl and that she always “wants to show” that she can “give more” than her mother.

One of Laís’ friends reported that before her relationship with Gabrielle, Laís’ ex-husband did not even insist on seeing her daughter. After the beginning of the relationship, this matter became “an obsession for the couple.” The girl’s grandmother said that Gabrielle created a “fondity” for the victim’s daughter, and that she always wanted to be ahead in everything regarding the child, “even more than her father,” she said in her testimony. According to the grandmother, the same girl said that Gabrielle asked her to call her “mother.” According to the woman, the girl said that she had two mothers: “Gabby’s mother and Liz’s mother.”

On Monday, police arrested two suspects involved in the crime: Eric Santos Maria, who was driving the motorcycle, and Davy de Souza Malto, who opened fire. They confessed to committing the crime before the homicide police station. Kelly Silva De Souza, Davey’s mother, identified her son, who also told neighbors he had killed someone. According to the police, Gabrielle offered R$20,000 to execute the victim.

The camera recorded the last moments

A security camera recorded the last moments of the life of Lais de Oliveira Gomez Pereira, 24, who died while walking with her son in a stroller along Travesa Santa Vitoria, in Sipetiba, in the western region of Rio, last Tuesday. The pictures show the young woman crossing the street with the child shortly before she was shot. In the photos you can see the young woman pushing the stroller with the baby.