Family of Larissa Cruz Morata suspects feminicide after death with gunshot to the head in Embu das Artes
Quick Look
- Larissa Cruz Morata, 29, was found dead with a gunshot to the head in the bathroom of her home in Embu das Artes, in Greater São Paulo, on Sunday (6).
- The family denies suicide and suspects feminicide, pointing to the husband, military police officer Vinicius Costa Silva, who was temporarily arrested on Monday (7).
- His gun was under her body.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Larissa Cruz Morata, 29 years old, nursing technician and mother of a 2-year-old son, was found dead with a gunshot to the head in the bathroom of her home in Embu das Artes, in Greater São Paulo, on Sunday (6). She lived with her husband, military police officer Vinicius Costa Silva. The family denies suicide and suspects feminicide, citing a history of troubled relationships.
Larissa Cruz Morata, 29 years old, was described by her family as a woman full of life, happy, dedicated to her son and with plans for the future. She was found dead with a gunshot to the head, on Sunday (6), inside the bathroom of the house where she lived with her husband, a military police officer, in Embu das Artes, in Greater São Paulo. His gun was under her body.
The family does not believe that Larissa committed suicide and suspects feminicide. The Civil Police are investigating the case as a "suspicious death" and the main hypothesis is murder. The suicide was practically ruled out by the police.
"Larissa was a beautiful, wonderful girl, full of life, she had a 2-year-old son, she really enjoyed life, and she didn't kill herself. I'm sure of that," said Maria Aparecida Morata, Larissa's grandmother.
Larissa (on the left) was found dead in the house where she lived with her husband, PM Vinicius. Grandmother Maria Aparecida does not believe in suicide and suspects feminicide. — Photo: Reproduction/Personal archive/TV Globo
According to the family, Larissa and her husband, soldier Vinicius Costa Silva, had been together for almost four years. The couple has a 2-year-old son, who was in the house at the time of the shooting. The soldier was temporarily arrested this Monday (7) by court decision at the request of the Civil Police.
Larissa was a nursing technician. On a professional social network, she said she was “passionate about the health sector and taking care of others”. She also stated that being “responsible, proactive and dedicated” were her main qualities.
For her family, Larissa was an excellent mother, happy and full of dreams. One of them was close to happening: she had scheduled cosmetic surgery.
Family disputes version of suicide
Policewoman's wife is found dead from a gunshot wound in the bathroom of a house in Embu das Artes — Photo: Reproduction
The family suspects that Larissa was a victim of feminicide.
To the police, the grandmother told that she had spoken to her daughter on Sunday morning and that, according to her, everything was fine with Larissa. The mother also reported to investigators that the couple's relationship had been troubled for some time.
Larissa's husband told police that she took her own life after he asked for a separation. He said he went to sleep, and the woman went to take a shower. Shortly afterwards, he heard a noise and found his wife lifeless, injured in the head. His gun was under his body.
Vinicius and Larissa were married. The technician leaves behind a son she had with a military police officer. — Photo: Reproduction/Personal archive
According to the family, Vinicius released the body at the Legal Medical Institute (IML) and scheduled the wake and burial for this Monday (7) without informing them.
The police officer's weapon was seized for forensic examination. The tests should help clarify the circumstances of the death and verify whether the gunshot was self-inflicted or whether someone else was involved.
Larissa was 29 years old. She was found dead in the bathroom of the house where she lived with her PM husband in Embu das Artes, Grande SP. — Photo: Reproduction/Personal archive
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Civil Police will complete the investigation and indicate whether the case will be reported as a feminicide or filed as a suicide.
Likely · Within weeks
The Court will maintain Vinicius Costa Silva's temporary detention or convert it into preventive detention while the investigations progress.
Possible · Within days
Open Questions
- Was the shot self-inflicted or was someone else involved?
- What was the reason for the supposed separation requested by the husband?
- Was there a history of domestic violence in the relationship?
- Why did the husband schedule the wake without informing the family?
