Ricardo de Souza Pessoa, aged 62, is arrested on suspicion of killing his ex-wife Noeli Simsen, aged 50 – Photo: Reproduction
A message about a possible bomb in the car of Noeli Simsen, 50, led the Military Police to isolate the vehicle and call the Bomb Squad after she was found shot dead in a hotel in Cáceres, 220 km from Cuiabá, this Monday (28).
According to the PM, the message was attributed to her ex-husband, retired Civil Police investigator Ricardo de Souza Pessoa, aged 62. He presented himself at a city police station and was arrested in the act. The case is investigated as femicide.
The message was shown to the police by a hotel employee, who had access to Noeli's cell phone. In it, Ricardo warned his ex-wife to be careful when starting the car, as there could be a bomb in the vehicle. The information led the police to restrict access to the area where the car was parked. There is still no information on the result of the inspection.
Employees and witnesses also reported to the PM that they saw Ricardo arrive at the hotel and access the window of the room where Noeli was. Shortly afterwards, they heard about four gunshots. He left the scene, and the police began searching to find him, until they were informed that he had reported himself to the police station.
Noeli Simsen, 50 years old, was found dead inside a hotel room in Cáceres (MT) — Photo: Reproduction
According to delegate Higo Rafael, responsible for the investigation, Noeli had separated from Ricardo around five months earlier and he did not accept the end of the relationship.
The Fire Department was called to assist a person injured by gunshots at the hotel, located in the Cidade Nova neighborhood. Upon arriving at the room, the team found Noeli with injuries to the central region of her chest and no vital signs. Death was pronounced at the scene.
During searches of Ricardo's house, police found four weapons and ammunition.
Weapons and ammunition were found in the suspect’s home — Photo: Civil Police
🚨How to ask for help?
'SOS Mulher MT' application interface — Photo: Reproduction
The 'SOS Mulher MT' application is one of the alternatives created to help victims of domestic violence in Mato Grosso. The application has a panic button, through which the victim can make a request for help when the attacker fails to comply with the protective measure.
The virtual Panic Button is available, for now, in the cities of Cuiabá, Várzea Grande, Cáceres and Rondonópolis.
In other municipalities in the state, the platform can be accessed for other functions, such as directing online protective measures, emergency telephone numbers, addresses of Women's Police Stations, 24-hour duty, reports of domestic violence and also access to the Virtual Police Station to register incidents.
What is the Maria da Penha Law
The Maria da Penha Law was sanctioned on August 7, 2006 with the aim of creating mechanisms to prevent and stop domestic and family violence against women. According to the Law, domestic violence against women involves any action based on gender, that is, a woman suffers some type of violence just because she is a woman.
The Maria da Penha Institute points out that this violence can be of the following types:
Physical violence: any action that offends the integrity or bodily health of a woman. Examples: beatings, strangulation, cuts, shaking, among others
Psychological violence: any action that causes emotional harm and reduced self-esteem; harm and disrupt a woman's development or attempt to degrade and control her actions, behaviors, beliefs and decisions. Examples: threat, humiliation, manipulation, isolation, constant surveillance, persecution, among others
Sexual violence: any action that forces the victim to witness, maintain or participate in unwanted sexual intercourse. Examples: rape, preventing the use of contraceptives, forcing prostitution, among others
Property violence: any action that involves the retention or destruction of objects, work instruments, documents, assets and valuables of the victim. Examples: control of money, destruction of documents, embezzlement, failure to pay child support, among others
Moral violence: any action that constitutes slander, defamation and insult. Examples: accusing the woman of cheating, exposing the intimate life, devaluing the victim due to the way she dresses, among others
What is a protective measure?
Protective measures are court orders that seek to protect people who are at risk, danger or vulnerability. There are two types: those aimed at the aggressor, to prevent him from approaching the victim; and those aimed at the victim, to guarantee their safety and the protection of their assets and their family.
Who can request?
Any woman experiencing domestic and family violence, regardless of the type of threat, injury or omission.
How to request protective measure?
The request for a protective measure can be made at police stations, Public Prosecutor's Offices or the Public Defender's Office. The woman does not need to be accompanied by a lawyer to make the request.
