Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva, a 25-year-old blogger, died after falling from the 10th floor of a building in Morumbi, western Sao Paulo, in the early hours of 29/11. Her husband, Alex Leandro Bispo dos Santos, 40, was arrested on 9/12 on suspicion of her murder.
Initially, when emergency services arrived, Alex was found holding his wife's body on the ground floor and claimed she had committed suicide. He told police that the couple had argued after returning from a party because he wanted to sleep with his stepson. Maria then went up and down the elevator several times to retrieve items from their car. Upon returning to the apartment, she locked herself in the bathroom. Minutes later, Alex stated he entered the bedroom and heard "a piercing scream followed by a loud noise," before finding his wife on the ground.
However, investigations quickly uncovered surveillance video data that contradicted Alex's account. Footage released on 10/12 captured a series of violent acts in the minutes leading up to Maria's death. The video reportedly shows Alex hitting his wife in the parking lot. Inside the elevator, Maria appeared to hug her husband, seemingly to reassure him, but he then grabbed her neck.
Less than two minutes later, the footage shows Alex forcibly dragging Maria from the elevator as she desperately clung to the door. The next sequence shows him returning to the elevator alone, holding his head in his hands and sitting down in despair. Moments later, Maria fell to her death.
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Alex Leandro Bispo dos Santos embraces his wife's coffin - Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva. Photo: G1 |
Alex Leandro Bispo dos Santos embraces his wife's coffin - Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva. Photo: G1
At Maria's funeral on 1/12, Alex was seen appearing grief-stricken, shedding tears while embracing his wife's coffin. Police have requested a detailed forensic examination and are conducting further investigations to establish the full truth of the incident.
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Surveillance video shows the violent acts Maria suffered just minutes before her death. Photo: G1 |
Surveillance video shows the violent acts Maria suffered just minutes before her death. Photo: G1
Maria, originally from Ceara state, had moved to Sao Paulo seeking new opportunities. She had built a personal brand on social media, creating content focused on makeup, travel, lifestyle, and health. Maria also had a daughter from a previous relationship.
