Thierry Lima da Silva was acquitted of the triple homicide in Ilhéus — Photo: Personal archive
The man accused of killing three women in Ilhéus, in August 2025, was acquitted of the charges. The trial took place on October 8, but the information was only released on Tuesday (3). According to the Court, the acquittal is based on a lack of evidence.
Alexsandra Oliveira Suzart, 45 years old; Maria Helena do Nascimento Bastos, 41; and Mariana Bastos da Silva, 20, were found dead with stab wounds in a forested area of Praia dos Milionários, a tourist destination in the city, which is located in the south of Bahia. They had disappeared the day before.
The accused, Thierry Lima da Silva, was arrested shortly afterwards. According to police, he claimed to have committed the crime alone, in an attempted robbery. Despite this, the Court states that the alleged extrajudicial confession was not recorded.
In this report, g1 explains the circumstances of Thierry's acquittal.
Thierry's arrest
Investigations
Testimony was not recorded
Why is Thierry still in prison?
Thierry's arrest
Thierry was arrested ten days after the crime, after an alleged confession. At the time, he was arrested for drug trafficking and, according to the police, confessed to the crime during his testimony.
According to information released at the time, he claimed responsibility for the triple homicide, reported that he was under the influence of drugs and that he struck the victims during an attempted robbery. The man also reported that he fled towards a bike path and burned his shorts, which were covered in blood.
Investigations
Alexsandra, Mariana and Maria Helena were found dead after going out to walk their dog in Bahia — Photo: Reproduction/Redes Sociais
At the time, the police even asked for an extension of the deadline for the investigation twice. The investigation was only concluded on December 19, four months after the crime.
In a note sent at the time, the Civil Police reported that field investigations, analysis of security camera images, forensic examinations, interviews with family members and witnesses, in addition to the collection of other elements, supported the indictment.
According to the corporation, Thierry was already being investigated for the triple homicide because he lived on the streets, was a drug user and fit the profile indicated from the beginning: wanderer, drug addict and suspected of robbery, theft and trafficking.
Furthermore, he already had an outstanding arrest warrant for the death of his partner after a jealous fight.
Alleged confession
Tributes were left by residents of Ilhéus at the place where Alexsandra, Maria Helena and Mariana were found dead — Photo: Social networks
Thierry's alleged confession was not recorded by the police and, at another point, the accused denied participation in the crime.
Experts from the Technical Police Department (DPT) highlighted that they did not find the man's genetic material in the nails, nor in the women's private parts. No DNA from the accused or the victims was found on the three knives seized after the crime.
According to the Court, the acquittal handed down by judge Emanuele Vita Leite Armede was based on:
lack of genetic traces of the defendant on the victims, clothing or crime scene;
failure to identify the weapon used in the crime;
lack of images or in-person witnesses that could directly link the accused to the executions.
Why is Thierry still in prison?
Despite being acquitted in October, he remains in prison for another crime - the death of his partner after a jealous fight.
In relation to the triple homicide of the women, the Public Ministry of Bahia (MP-BA), responsible for the accusation against Thierry, appealed the acquittal. There is still no date for a new hearing.
Furthermore, the judge ordered the sending of a copy of the sentence to the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ilhéus Homicide Unit so that they can evaluate the continuity of the investigations into who was responsible for the deaths.
