The General Inspectorate of the Civil Police is investigating the conduct of the police officers who participated in the arrest of Eric Conrado Alves de Almeida, aged 41, suspected of killing lawyer Anna Gabriela Faria Lima and her son, Raphael, aged 6, in Cotia, Greater São Paulo.
The suspect was arrested last Wednesday night (4), in the Jaguaré region, in the West Zone of the capital of São Paulo. He was on Interpol's wanted list.
The arrest became the target of comments on social media after the release of a video in which the delegate in charge of the case, Mônica Gamboa, talks to Eric and states, calmly, that she needed to remove him from the place where he was found to ensure his safety.
During the conversation, the police officer asked the suspect to remain calm and said that his parents were at the scene. She also stated that he would not be sent to a Provisional Detention Center (CDP) and that he would be alone in a cell.
"Your parents are here. Stay calm, we are here. Look at me [...] You will not be transferred to the CDP (Provisional Detention Center). You will stay in a cell alone", assured the delegate in the video.
At another point in the recording, the professional helps Eric's mother pack the suitcase he took to prison, advises him to take a heavy coat to protect him from the cold and helps him fold his clothes.
To g1, the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP-SP) informed that the case is being investigated.
"The General Inspectorate of the Civil Police is investigating the actions of the teams that detained the suspect. Any irregularities that may be found will be held accountable."
The treatment given to the businessman, who was on the run, caused surprise among those who watched the video on social media. Comments accused the police chief of protecting the suspect and compared the situation to other arrests, where fugitives are not treated in the same way.
Delegate speaks out
After repercussions, delegate Mônica Gamboa published a statement on her Instagram profile to defend the conduct of the arrest.
She stated that she does not need to use violence to demonstrate authority and that her actions are guided by technique and respect for legislation.
"As a delegate, I do not need to resort to violence to demonstrate firmness, nor do I need to produce spectacles to reaffirm my authority," she wrote.
Hours after making the post, the delegate deactivated her Instagram profile.
Businessman is suspected of killing lawyer and her son
Eric Conrado, the main suspect of killing lawyer Anna Gabriela and her son, Raphael, aged 6, stayed for 5 hours and 20 minutes in the victims' apartment and, before leaving, he allegedly cleaned the place to try to erase traces of the crime.
According to the Civil Police, he washed dishes, mopped the floor, straightened the bed where the bodies were left and placed incense near the door to try to mask the smell of the bodies.
The information was released this Thursday (5), during a press conference with the delegates responsible for the investigation. The suspect, Eric Conrado, Anna Gabriela's boyfriend, was arrested on Wednesday night (4), in the Jaguaré neighborhood, in the West Zone of São Paulo.
Although the police initially said that they were ex-boyfriends, the delegate responsible for the case, Mônica Gamboa, stated that they got back together and were lovers at the time of the crime.
"A relationship lasting approximately three years, on and off, back and forth. They were separated, they had a resumption of their relationship, at the beginning of October, during the election period, they met again," he said.
According to Mônica, Eric arrived at the apartment on Sunday night (1), around 9:40 pm, accompanied by Anna Gabriela and Raphael. He left the property alone at 2:15 am on Monday (2).
What was the cause of the deaths?
According to the Civil Police, the cause of death of Anna Gabriela and Raphael was asphyxiation. The information is preliminary and was identified during examinations carried out at the Legal Medical Institute (IML) of Cotia.
The delegate responsible for the investigation followed the autopsies, but stated that the police are still awaiting official reports to obtain more details about the circumstances of the deaths.
What was the relationship between Eric and Anna Gabriela?
According to the delegate, Eric and Anna Gabriela had a relationship of approximately three years, marked by ons and offs.
The two were separated, but got back together in early October.
The police officer stated that, in the few words exchanged with Eric after the capture, he referred to the lawyer as "the woman of his life" and "the love of his life".
The delegate classified the relationship as passionate and stated that the suspect demonstrated a type of idolatry for Anna Gabriela.
