A Brazilian court has jailed six men over the fatal shooting of a doctor who treated children with cancer, with the victim’s policeman ex-husband and his father among those convicted.
Paediatric oncologist Milena Gottardi, 38, and a friend were leaving the hospital where they worked in the Brazilian city of Vitoria on 14th September 2017 when they were robbed at gunpoint.
The gunman then shot Milena in the head and leg before fleeing the scene. She was still alive when she was rescued and admitted to hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries the next day.
Following an eight-day-long trial, the court in Vitoria sentenced the doctor’s ex-husband, Hilario Frasson, her father-in-law, Esperidiao Frasson, and four other defendants over her death.
According to the investigation, Milena’s ex-husband, who was a serving police officer at the time, masterminded the crime along with his father.
Prosecutors said the motive for the killing was the end of the couple’s marriage, which Hilario was unable to come to terms with.
According to the investigation, Hilario and his father contracted two intermediaries to find a hitman to bump off the mother of his two daughters.
The hitman, who confessed to the crime, allegedly ordered his brother-in-law to steal the motorbike he used in the crime to follow the victim.
The jury was comprised of four women and three men, and the sentences were handed down by judge Marcos Pereira Sanches.
Hilario, who has been in preventive custody since 21st September 2017, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated homicide, femicide and procedural fraud.
His father, who was arrested on the same date, received the same sentence for the same charges.
Middleman Valcir da Silva, who studied with Hilario and was also arrested on the same date, was sentenced to 26 years and 10 months in prison for the same set of charges.
Ermenegildo Palauro Filho, the other intermediary who had known Hilario and his father for over 30 years, was arrested on 25th September 2017 and received the same sentence as Valcir.
Hitman Dionathas Alves Vieira confessed to the crime and admitted to being promised BRL 2,000 (GBP 280) to kill the doctor.
Arrested on 16th September 2017, he was sentenced to 18 years and eight months in prison for the same set of charges.
His brother-in-law, Bruno Rodrigues, was arrested on the same date and was sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison for femicide.
The men were also ordered to pay a collective fine of BRL 700,000 (GBP 98,015) in compensation to the victim’s family, which includes Milena’s two daughters, now aged 13 and 5.
The girls, who were aged 9 and 2 at the time of the crime, are now under the care of their maternal uncle and his wife.
It was not reported if the guilty men can appeal their sentences.
