Court orders the arrest of the second accused of killing women in the South Zone of Rio

The second man named as responsible for the deaths of Martha Maria Lopes Pontes, 77, and day laborer Alice Fernandes da Silva, 51, which took place last Thursday (9) in the elderly woman’s apartment, in Flamengo, South Zone of the country. Rio de Janeiro had the temporary arrest for 30 days decreed by the Justice in the afternoon of this Saturday (11).

William Oliveira Fonseca, who is on the run, is identified as a partner of Jhonatan Correia Damasceno, who was arrested in the act on Friday (10), and, according to the Civil police confessed to the crime and named Fonseca as the co-author of the crime.

The two will be charged with robbery (robbery followed by death), extortion and arson.

The arrest was ordered by Judge Luciana de Oliveira Leal Halbritter, from the Judiciary Duty of the capital, at the request of the Civil Police.

Martha and Alice were found dead, beheaded, inside the elderly woman’s house, an apartment on Avenida Ruy Barbosa, in Flamengo, on Thursday afternoon.

According to the police, Fonseca and Damasceno had recently worked in the apartment and that afternoon went to the property to extort money from the owner.

They forced Martha to sign three checks, worth R$5,000 each, and one of them went to the bank to cash it while the other held the two women hostage.

After the checks were cashed, the criminals beheaded the victims, set fire to the apartment, and left.

The fire was discovered by neighbors, who called the fire department. The bodies were found by these agents, who brought the fire under control. The old woman’s body was charred.

As reported by Alice’s son – the 27-year-old hydraulic firefighter Diogo Fernandes da Silva – the service had already been paid for, but the two painters were demanding more money. “The job was done and all paid for, but they were coercing Miss Martha into giving more money,” he said.

“Dona Eleonora, her daughter, said that 15 days ago they knocked there telling a sad story and wanting more money. In another episode, in the last week, they went there again, this time only with Dona Marta, put their foot in the door, threatened and coerced her to take more money. That day, my mother was not there.”