A woman reportedly paid a notorious killer £560 to murder her father by feeding him a poisonous bean stew at his residence. Ana Paula Veloso is accused of poisoning pensioner Neil Correa da Silva in Baixada Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Investigators suspect that the victim’s daughter, Michele Paiva da Silva, collaborated in planning the murder, with incriminating text messages outlining their scheme.
Veloso, labeled as a “psychopath” and a serial killer, allegedly received R$4,000 (£560) to carry out the heinous act. Paiva da Silva, a 43-year-old law student and bus driver, was apprehended at a university in Rio. Authorities revealed that the father and daughter had a strained relationship. Veloso and Paiva da Silva, described as acquaintances, were present at the victim’s residence when he fell ill and had to be hospitalized. Detectives discovered terbufos, a pesticide slightly less toxic than lead, at Veloso’s home.
Both Veloso and Paiva da Silva are under police custody. Chief Inspector Halisson Ideiao Leite disclosed that Veloso confessed to killing 10 dogs with the same poison used in the bean stew as part of her experiments. Authorities are also questioning Veloso’s twin sister, Roberta, in connection to Neil’s death, alleging her involvement in providing support.
The investigation has linked Neil’s death to three other poisonings in Guarulhos, which authorities believe were orchestrated by Veloso and Paiva da Silva. The crimes, including Neil’s murder, were carried out between January and April this year. According to Mr. Leite, the modus operandi of the perpetrators involved establishing trust, manipulation, and the use of poison as a silent weapon.
Veloso initially drew police attention by claiming to be a victim of a cake poisoning attempt, which investigators believe was a ploy to shift blame. Mr. Leite emphasized that Veloso’s actions indicated a pattern of premeditated killings rather than impulsive acts.
Authorities are now investigating whether Veloso and Paiva da Silva had plans for further murders. Civil police officer Raphael Morais Velo, a member of the investigatory team, highlighted the meticulous and calculated nature of Veloso’s killings during the probe.