The murders of Councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes turn seven on Thursday (14). This year, for the first time, the date is remembered knowing who was the principals of the deaths, who are arrested, and with the convicted killers.
In 2019, former police officers Ronnie Lessa and Élcio Queiroz were arrested for shooting Marielle and Anderson. They confessed to the crime and were sentenced to 78 years and 9 months in prison, and 59 years and 8 months, respectively. Remember the case:
The day of the crime
According to the Police Inquiry, the action that resulted in the murder of the councilwoman and the driver began on March 14, 2018, at noon, when Ronnie Lessa invited Élcio to her home, at the Vivendas da Barra condominium in Rio de Janeiro.
On site, Élcio observed Ronnie’s movement with a black bag. The two entered a model car Chevrolet Cobalt Prata and headed for the Lapa neighborhood, where Marielle participated in an event named “Black Women Moving Structures”.
Ronnie and Élcio awaited the departure of the councilwoman, who was accompanied by driver Anderson Gomes. Both cars moved leaving the region.
The criminals followed the councilwoman’s car to a certain point of the neighborhood, pairing the vehicles, when Ronnie Lessa fired 13 times against Marielle’s car.
At about 9 pm, Marielle was shot four shots and Anderson by three. The two died on the spot. A third person, Fernanda Chaves, Marielle’s advisor, was not hit, but was injured by the splinters.
After committing the crime, Ronnie Lessa and Élcio de Queiroz fled for access to Avenida Brasil, heading to Méier, using the yellow line as a connection route.
In the North Zone neighborhood, they met Ronnie’s brother Denis and delivered equipment and the weapon of the crime.
Soon after, the killer’s brother called a taxi to the criminals, who moved to Lessa’s house, where they reconnected their cell phones and went to a bar in Barra da Tijuca.
Killers’ arrest
Reformed sergeant Ronnie Lessa and former military police officer Élcio Queiroz were arrested in March 2019, suspected of the execution of the crime. According to the police inquiry, Lessa fired the shots and Queiroz drove the car where the killers were.
On prison day, police found 117 rifles Lessa hid at a friend’s house. In addition to armament, another 500 ammunition, three silencers and R $ 112,000 in cash were seized.
In October 2024, for the death of Marielle and Anderson.
Lessa was sentenced to 78 years and 9 months in prison, and Élcio, 59 years and 8 months. In addition to the penalties of imprisonment, both should pay a pension to Anderson Gomes’ son until he turns 24. The convicts were also sentenced to the joint payment of compensation for moral damage to the families of the victims, which total about R $ 3.5 million.
The principals
In March last year, the Federal Police arrested three suspects of being the
The prisoners were Domingos Brazão, then advisor to the State Court of Auditors, Chiquinho Brazão, then federal deputy of Rio de Janeiro, and Rivaldo Barbosa, former chief of civil police of Rio.
On the day of the arrests, the Minister of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), Ricardo Lewandowski, said that the reason for the execution is related to the militia performance in the dispute for land in Rio de Janeiro.
In October, five accused of planning Marielle’s death were heard by the Supreme Court. Among them, the prisoners in the March operation.
Domingos Brazão said he has no involvement with homicides. He said he didn’t know the councilwoman and never saw former police officer Ronnie Lessa.
Federal Deputy Chiquinho Brazão denied involvement with Ronnie Lessa. The politician was pointed out by Lessa in award -winning denunciation as one of Marielle’s murder.
To the Federal Police, Ronnie Lessa said that Chiquinho and her brother, Domingos Brazão, would have offered him $ 10 million in exchange for the councilwoman’s death.
Rivaldo Barbosa also denied the accusations against him. “I don’t kill an ant. Am I going to kill a person? ”He said in a statement.
Latest actions
The latest updates of the case occurred a few days ago, on March 10, when Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF),
In the decision signed by Moraes, the minister also accepted the request to include in the process conversations by Rivaldo Barbosa with General Richard Nunes, who was Secretary of Security during the intervention in RJ, in 2018, and formalized his appointment to the command of the State Civil Police; and also dialogues with delegates Giniton Lages, Daniel Rosa and Brenno Carnevale. The defense wants to demonstrate that Barbosa charged results on investigations and that there was no interference from local authorities or politicians in the appointment of his police.
Moraes also determined attach the inquiry of the death of former police officer André Henrique da Silva Souza, André Zóio, killed for involvement with militias. Ronnie Lessa, Marielle’s confessed killer, is also charged with this crime.
Next Steps
Following the conviction of the executors of Marielle and Anderson Gomes, the defendants accused of being the principals will still be trial in the Supreme Court. The process is already in the final phase of proceedings. The accused are:
- Deputy Chiquinho Brazão (without Party-RJ);
- Councilor of the State Court of Auditors, Domingos Brazil;
- Civil Police Delegate Rivaldo Barbosa;
- Major Ronald Paulo Pereira;
- Military Police Robson Calixto Fonseca.
The Attorney General’s Office (PGR), responsible for the prosecution, asked the Federal Police to send all reports and expert reports in the material seized on the day of the targets.
