Pastor suspected of stabbing his ex-wife to death at his son's party remains in prison after hearing

The court detained Jonatã de Jesus Batista, 40, suspected of stabbing his ex-wife, Jeane Cristina Mattes, 43, to death during his son's birthday party in Americana (SP).

According to the São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP), the arrest in the act was converted into preventive arrest after a custody hearing held on Monday (12).

The crime took place on Sunday (11), during the 15th birthday celebration of the couple's eldest son, in a house in the Mantovani subdivision.

According to the police, Jeane had a protective measure against her ex-partner, who had already been arrested for domestic violence against her.

Jonatã, who presented himself as an "itinerant pastor" on social media, was immobilized by residents until the Military Police arrived. The case was registered as femicide. g1 tries to locate the suspect's defense.

Jeane was at her ex-partner's house to celebrate her son's birthday when the two allegedly argued.

She was hit by a knife and was rescued, but died at the Americana Municipal Hospital. According to the doctor who treated her, the victim had seven puncture wounds on her body, four of them on her chest.

A person close to the family told EPTV, a TV Globo affiliate, that the couple's children, aged 15 and 8, witnessed their mother's murder. The witness, who preferred not to be identified, said he entered the house to remove the children.

"It was the time that I went in there to get the children out of the way. And his own son started saying, 'my father killed my mother, my father killed my mother', that's where the despair began", he said.

The same witness stated that Jonatã had drug problems, became aggressive when using drugs and did not accept the end of the relationship. According to her, he spent a long period without using drugs and became a pastor.

The Military Police were called around 12pm and found the suspect immobilized by residents. According to the police report, there was a crowd of people and threats of lynching. Therefore, the police quickly removed Jonatã from the scene and took him for medical care.

The knife that would have been used in the crime was seized from the house. To the police, Jonatã stated that he had consumed drugs between Saturday night (10) and Sunday morning, in addition to alcoholic beverages.

In addition to his two children with Jeane, the suspect has another child from a previous relationship.

Jeane's wake and burial were scheduled for this Tuesday (13), starting at 7 am, at Parque Gramado Cemetery, in Americana.