Death of lawyer in the center of Rio completes two months; ‘Rodrigo loved life’, says girlfriend in tribute

This Friday marks two months since the death of lawyer Rodrigo Marinho Crespo, 42 years old, shot in broad daylight in the center of Rio in front of the building where he worked. The date was remembered by his girlfriend, Isa Strapazzon, with whom he had been in a relationship for four years. On her profile on a social network, the model published photos and a message in which she remembers what Rodrigo was like and talks about her longing and the pain of loss.

• Infiltrator: Target of operation against militia in Rio pretended to be a civil police officer, traveled in official vehicles and diverted ammunition seized in operations
• International trafficking: Federal Revenue seizes around R$1 million worth of synthetic drugs from a Spaniard at Galeão Airport

In the publication, accompanied by photos, Isa talks about the lawyer’s love for his work and the dedication he maintained. She cites “being ironic” as precisely what led to Rodrigo’s death. He was shot to death on Avenida Marechal Câmara, close to the offices of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), the Public Ministry and the Public Defender’s Office, on February 26. Rodrigo had just left the building where he worked to buy a snack, when he was surprised by the executioner, who got out of a car and fired shots. There was no time to react.

“2 months that took away my foundation, the love of my life. Rodrigo loved life, he loved waking up early and opening all the curtains to see the sunny days, he loved working even more, it’s ironic, because he was doing something that he loved you so much that they took your life. It’s been another month since I heard your voice, I didn’t feel your touch, I didn’t wake up to your nagging because you were a bag without a handle and I loved it all. It hurts so much to know. There’s no point in crying and screaming, you won’t come back.”, wrote Isa Strapazzon.

According to investigations, at least three men participated in monitoring the victim and met before and after the crime. One of them even provided the car used on the day of the murder. According to the police, the lawyer was monitored three days before the crime and on the day of the execution.

• Merchant death: Rio court acquits bicheiro Piruinha of being accused of ordering murder

As the Segredos do crime blog showed, for the Capital Homicide Police Station (DHC), during the investigations, new facts came to light and demonstrate that Rodrigo’s execution could be just the tip of an iceberg. According to the investigators’ report, the suspects in the lawyer’s death are linked “to an extermination group linked to the permanent criminal structure, with possible tentacles in politics, misdemeanors and the exploitation of the illegal cigarette market.” Hence, the links with a character whose cases were blocked by the courts: Adilson Oliveira Coutinho Filho, known as Adilsinho.

The motivation for the crime is still unclear. Although the group is related to the sale of illegal cigarettes, according to investigations by the Federal Police and the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco) of the Public Ministry of Rio (MPRJ), DHC still does not know whether Rodrigo was killed by displease the interests of the supposed “cigarette mafia” or gambling offenders, especially in the online betting industry.

Graduated from PUC-RJ in 2005, the lawyer specialized in his area of ​​expertise at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). On a social network, Rodrigo wrote that he used to talk about the “regulation of the Brazilian lottery games and betting registration market”. On the Court of Justice website, he appears hired in various cases, mainly in the areas of real estate and consumer law.