Three prisoners have reportedly killed an inmate by stabbing him in the neck, cutting his heart out with a sharpened toothbrush before hacking off his penis and stuffing it in his mouth.

Alex Sandro de Souze Mota, 30, was found dead by prison guards on the floor of his cell with his heart removed and his penis stuffed in his mouth at Peco prison in the city of Cruzeiro do Oeste in the Brazilian state of Parana on Wednesday (18th August).

The news site Ndmais said that Mota, who was serving time after being convicted of raping his five-year-old stepdaughter, died as a result of a blow to the neck carried out by an unidentified inmate.

The police reported that they believe three inmates, identified only as L.B.R., K.R.I. and J.M.S.C., were responsible for the killing.

L.B.R., 22, is believed to have killed Mota by stabbing him in the neck with a toothbrush while K.R.I., 22, and J.M.S.C., 31, assisted by mutilating Mota’s corpse.

The victim’s heart was reportedly chopped out and put in a plastic container and his penis was removed and placed in his mouth.

The suspects then allegedly cleaned up the cell hoping that forensics would not be able to pin the crime on them.

The body has been sent for autopsy and the investigation is ongoing.

A preventive arrest warrant for murder has been issued against the three suspects.