Defendant admits murder of woman and hiding body in cistern during trial in Belo Horizonte

Gilmar Pereira Calmos admitted to having murdered Magna Laurinda Ferreira Pimentel, aged 42, and hiding her body in a cistern in the Candelária neighborhood, located in the Venda Nova region, in Belo Horizonte. The confession took place during the popular jury held this Tuesday (30) at the Jury Court in the capital of Minas Gerais.

The man, a defendant in the case, justified his decision to confess by recognizing the need to bear the consequences of his actions, at the same time as he refuted the participation of his mother and sisters in the crime. During the trial, Gilmar chose to speak exclusively to the defense and the members of the jury.

The prosecution indicated Gilmar as directly responsible for carrying out the murder, pointing to his mother, Marluce Pereira dos Santos, as the alleged mastermind. However, the defendant told the jurors that he had great appreciation for his mother, describing her as “mother and father” in his career.

However, the trial of the others involved in the case does not yet have a defined date, as the case relating to them awaits the decision of an appeal with the Court of Justice.

Gilmar Pereira Calmos’ account of the day of the murder

Gilmar stated that, on the date of the crime, August 3, 2024, he was carrying out renovation work at the back of the land where the victim’s parents and the other accused lived. After having lunch and resting, he returned to work and stated that he did not notice Magna arriving at the scene.

Later, the defendant stated that he witnessed the victim making threats against his mother, Marluce. In an attempt to intervene and understand the reason for the altercation, Gilmar allegedly questioned the discussion, at which point Magna threw a cup of coffee in his direction.

Then, according to his version, the victim lost his balance and fell next to a bucket, where there was a screwdriver that would have been used to attack Gilmar. Overwhelmed by emotion and the fear of losing his life, he then allegedly wielded a knife and stabbed Magna in the chest and neck.

In the Jury Court, the accused assured that his attitude was not driven by anger, but rather by fear. He added that he intended to hand himself in, but the fear of moving away from his family led him to choose to hide the body in the cistern and cover it with cement.

Gilmar declared that he was unaware of the existence of loans and debts involving his mother and sisters. He added that, if he had been aware of the situation, he would have offered to pay the amounts. In the end, he expressed his request for forgiveness, reiterating that he did not wish to have committed the act.

The police investigation differs from the defendant’s version

The narrative presented by the authorities in charge of the investigation differs significantly from the defendant’s testimony. The police investigation indicates that the cause of the crime would be linked to the discovery of a fraud scheme against an elderly person, perpetrated by the victim’s stepmother and her children, a central motivation that contrasts with the accused’s claim of self-defense.

The total amount of damage, according to investigations, reached R$50,000, of which approximately R$9,000 was used in the “tigrinho game”. The police also revealed that the suspects took out a loan in the elderly man’s name and persuaded him to sign a donation document for the residence where he lives.

According to the complaint, the victim went to his father’s house hoping to receive the money. After announcing that she was going to meet her family, she disappeared, leading her husband to register her disappearance. Magna’s body was only located on August 27, in a cistern located in the backyard of her father’s residence.