Reserve police officer and wife killed in bar: suspect did not accept the end of his marriage with the couple's daughter, says PM

After the release of images of the double homicide that killed reserve military police officer Arinaldo Serafim Santana, aged 55, and his wife, Rosangela Nicoletti, aged 54, in Maracaju, the Military Police began to point out a possible motivation for the crime. According to Major Cleyton da Silva Santos, preliminary information indicates that the suspect, Vantuir Chaves, did not accept the end of the relationship with the couple's daughter.

According to the officer, the man was married for 16 years to the victims' daughter and started threatening her after the separation.

"The preliminary information we have is exactly that. It wasn't a case of territorial dispute or anything like that. It was a family fight," said the major.

According to the Military Police, there was a history of domestic violence involving the suspect.

The major stated that the records were made during the separation period. According to him, the man was trying to resume the relationship and started making threats when his ex-partner did not accept the rapprochement.

"They had been separated for some time. He started threatening her and trying to rekindle the relationship, but she didn't want to," he declared.

Another fact investigated by the police occurred on the Saturday before the crime. According to the major, Vantuir Chaves' brother was arrested after going armed to the location to threaten his ex-sister-in-law. The suspicion is that family conflicts have intensified after the episode.

The Military Police continue to search for the suspect in the double homicide.

"We have a team on site and we believe that, in the next few hours or the next day, we will be able to arrest this criminal," said the major.

Understand the case

Reserve military police officer Arinaldo Serafim Santana, aged 55, and his wife, Rosangela Nicoletti, aged 54, were killed with at least fifteen gunshots in a bar, on Wednesday night (12), in Maracaju (MS).

The establishment's security cameras recorded the crime. In the images, the suspect appears shooting more than 15 times at his in-laws, who were sitting at the table and drinking beer. Then he reloads the gun and fires again.

The couple was sitting at a table outside the bar, on Rua Antônio João, in the Vila Juquita neighborhood, when they were surprised by the shooter. According to information from the investigation, the suspect entered through the back of the establishment. The crime occurred between 8:25 pm and 8:34 pm.