Story By: Les Steed, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

A man has killed his ex-wife’s best friend and then shot his ex-wife too before turning the gun on himself in a shocking murder-suicide.

The suspect, Claudemir Pereira, 45, shot his ex after murdering her friend who was his neighbour in the city of Salto, on the north-western Uruguay border with Argentina on Monday, 28th September.

According to police reports, Pereira approached his ex-wife’s friend and neighbour Angela Muczinski, 33, as she was driving her car in the Estacao neighbourhood with her children.

Pereira approached the vehicle on a motorbike and pulled the family over.

As she tried to get out of the car Pereira shot her four times, killing her in front of her kids, before fleeing the scene.

The two daughters, aged 1 and 4, were unharmed during the attack and were cared for by witnesses until family arrived.

In the meantime, Pereira returned to his ex-wife Adriana’s house where he met and shot her before killing himself.

A neighbour told UOL, “He already came with the gun in his hand. There was not even time for the woman to say anything or try to escape. It was a horrible scene.”

Pereira and his ex had been close friends of Muczinski and were the godparents of one of her daughters according to her husband, Wagner Araujo.

Mr Araujo told local press: “Claudemir had just separated from his wife and thought that my wife had something to do with it because they are very good friends.”

The pair were believed to have been separated for 2 months and had filed for divorce.

Adriana has been taken to hospital and is currently in a serious condition.

A police investigation is ongoing.

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