‘He was never called a factionist, but he laundered money for the PCC’, says delegate Ivalda Aleixo exclusively to Jovem Pan
Exactly one year ago, , the busiest in the country, was the scene of an execution in broad daylight. The victim, Antonio Vinícius Gritzbachwas shot dead on November 8, 2024, in a crime that shocked the country due to its audacity and connections with organized crime. On the day of the execution, Celso Araújo Sampaio de Novais, 41 years old, app driver, was also shot and succumbed to his injuries.
The DHPP (Department of Homicide and Personal Protection) concluded, in just four months, an investigation considered one of the most complex in recent times. The main inquiry is 500 pages long and details the role of each person involved. In total, eight people were indicted — six for murder and two for helping the executioners escape.
Who was Gritzbach
Antônio Vinícius Gritzbach was shot dead at Guarulhos Airport on November 8, 2024│Reproduction/TVRecord
Known in the business world, Gritzbach presented himself as a real estate businessman, but was also investigated for money laundering for criminal factions such as the PCC and Comando Vermelho, using the purchase and sale of properties to move illicit values. “Here, he was never called a faction”, says the director of the DHPP, delegate Ivalda Aleixo, who coordinated the investigations and participated in an exclusive interview with the Young Pan.
Gritzbach collaborated with the courts and was considered an informer of members of organized crime — which, according to the police, motivated his execution.
18 military police officers defendants and three executioners before popular jury
The case revealed the participation of 18 military police officers, who became defendants. Three of them, identified as the perpetrators of the crime, were sentenced and will go to the popular jury. They are imprisoned at the Romão Gomes Military Prison, in São Paulo. “It was a meticulous job of crossing data, images and communications that positioned the executors exactly at the crime scene”, explained Ivalda Aleixo.
Mandator and motivation
The investigations point to Emílio Carlos Gongorra, the “Cigarreira”, aged 44, as the person behind the execution. A member of the Red Command, he allegedly ordered the murder out of personal revenge. “There was a personal motivation and a million-dollar debt between them”, said Ivalda Aleixo.
Police and forensic experts respond to the scene of a shooting at Guarulhos international airport, in São Paulo, on November 8, 2024 │Miguel Schincariol/AFP
Cigarreira believed that Gritzbach had ordered the murder of an accomplice known as “Cara Preto” in 2021, in addition to holding him responsible for losses in a money laundering scheme and investments in cryptocurrencies.
The criminal left São Paulo the day before the crime, on a chartered flight from Jundiaí, and took refuge in Complexo da Penha, in Rio de Janeiro. He and two others involved remain at large.
Jewelry and money
Another point investigated is the origin of jewelry valued at around R$6 million, which Gritzbach was trying to recover in a negotiation before he was killed. The pieces had been seized and auctioned off legally, but returned to the possession of a businessman identified only as Pablo, who traveled to Dubai on the same day as the murder. “Another issue we raise is the origin of these jewelry and the connection between those involved,” stated the DHPP director.
The role of security guards and new lines of investigation
A second investigation is investigating whether Gritzbach’s security guards had direct or indirect participation in the crime. “We need to know what their effective participation was that day”, highlighted delegate Ivalda Aleixo.
The DHPP task force analyzed 6 terabytes of data, 20,000 pages of reports and 30 hours of images obtained through telephone, telematic and banking confidentiality breaches.
One year later
“It was one of the largest homicide investigation operations in the State. In four months, we managed to clarify the main case, identify the principals and gather robust evidence”, concluded the delegate.
One year after the execution, the Civil Police consider the main case to be resolved. The executors are arrested, the masterminds have been identified and the evidence has been consolidated.
The investigations continue under judicial secrecy, focusing on locating the fugitives and completely elucidating the criminal chain.
