Alegrete court hears prosecution witnesses about the nurse’s murder

The first investigation of the criminal case that investigated the death of the nurse took place last Friday (2), in Alegrete. Priscila Ferreira Leonardi. The victim’s body was found on the banks of the Ibirapuitã River, in Alegrete, in July 2023. She was 40 years old.

Four men are charged with extortion followed by death and hiding a corpse, including Priscila’s cousin. The process is led by Judge Rafael Echevarria Borba, head of the local Criminal Court.

At the evidentiary hearing held on Friday, five prosecution witnesses and an informant were heard. The magistrate also maintained the preventive detention of the defendants, who have been in jail since July last year.

Three more witnesses named by the Public Prosecutor’s Office still remain to be heard. After a period of five days, for requests for due diligence and other measures, a date will be set for a new hearing. Afterwards, the investigation will begin to hear the witnesses indicated by the defenses.

Afterwards, a hearing will be scheduled for the employee (who made a plea bargain) and for interrogation of the accused. There is still no date for the defendants’ trial.

Family heritage

Priscila had graduated in Nursing from the Franciscan University (UFN). In 2019, she moved to Ireland.

The victim would have come to Rio Grande do Sul, in July last year, to deal with the inheritance of her father, who died in 2020. She also intended to collect a debt from her cousin Emerson Leonardiresident of Alegrete. According to the indictment (MP), Emerson would be the person who ordered the crime. The other three defendants are identified as members of a faction that allegedly carried out the kidnapping and death of the nurse.