PT candidate in VV suspends campaign after brother’s murder

Retired civil police officer José Maria Gagno Intra, murdered on Tuesday night (7) by his own brother-in-law in the Balneário Ponta da Fruta neighborhood, was the younger brother of former councilor João Batista Gagno Intra, the Babá, PT pre-candidate to Vila Velha City Hall. The murder occurred precisely one week after Babá was chosen to represent the PT in the dispute for the position of mayor of the city and three days before a moment that should have been festive for him: the launch of his pre-candidacy was scheduled for the next Friday, at 6 pm, in a space in Prainha.

Now, according to Babá, the launch event for her pre-candidacy is suspended and, for now, there is no new date set. All campaign activities are also suspended, until Babá emotionally recovers from the “shock” and feels able to resume her pre-candidate agenda.

The case

José Maria Gagno Intra, 56 years old, was shot dead on Tuesday night (7), in a bar located in Balneário Ponta da Fruta, Vila Velha. The confessed killer is the victim’s brother-in-law, identified as Joberto Gil Cardoso, 47 years old.

According to information contained in the Military Police report, the crime occurred when José Maria, who was accompanied by his wife, approached the suspect in the establishment. The brother-in-law then fired several shots at José Maria, with the retired police officer’s own gun, who was hit in the chest. The victim was immediately taken to the Riviera da Barra Emergency Care Unit, but he succumbed to his injuries.

After committing the murder, the brother-in-law fled the scene, but was found by the police while walking along Rodovia ES-060, near the Interlagos neighborhood. During the approach, he confessed to being the perpetrator of the crime. He also told the police that he used José Maria’s gun and discarded it near the bar where he murdered his brother-in-law.

The killer was taken to the Vila Velha Regional Police Station, where he was presented to the police authority on duty. The victim’s wife, a witness to the crime, was also taken to the police station to give a statement.

Crime was committed during “outing”

Joberto killed José Maria on the same day he was released from prison. According to information from the State Department of Justice (Sejus), he had been serving a sentence since June 2019 for the crime of rape against a vulnerable person, at the Vila Velha 6 State Penitentiary. This Tuesday (7), he received the benefit of temporary release, for occasion of Mother’s Day.

The criminal already had a previous stint in the State’s prison system: from March 2013 to February 2017, he served time for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm. Sejus highlights that “the benefit of temporary departure is provided for in the Criminal Execution Law (LEP) and is granted by the Judiciary”.

The State Secretariat for Public Security (Sesp) informs that the case is under investigation by the Specialized Homicide and Personal Protection Division (DHPP) of Vila Velha.

According to Sesp’s press office, after being arrested in the act, the perpetrator of the murder was taken to the Vila Velha Regional Police Station, charged with qualified homicide and sent to the Viana Triage Center (CTV). The victim’s body was sent to the Legal Medical Department (DML) of Vitória, to be autopsied and, later, released to family members.

Nanny: José Maria’s wife is suspected of being a criminal mastermind

Babá claims that her sister-in-law, José Maria’s wife, is the main suspect of having been the mastermind behind the murder. According to the former councilor, José Maria’s wife planned the crime in order to receive a pension from the State resulting from the death of the retired civil police officer. Babá also states that the Civil Police works with this line of investigation:

“She is the main suspect for me, because of the way my brother was murdered. The killer says he killed him with José Maria’s own gun. But José Maria’s gun wasn’t on his waist, it was in the car. Someone gave the gun to his brother-in-law. And those who were inside the car were José Maria’s wife and her sister. The police are working on this hypothesis, yes.”

Babá is convinced that this is the only plausible motivation for the murder. He says that the family did not have any contact with José Maria’s wife (the two had only been married for a short time).

“My brother had no dispute with anyone, he wasn’t a militia member, he wasn’t involved in drug trafficking, he didn’t have any fights with neighbors, with family, with anyone. The only thing he has is this woman he got involved with and her family. We didn’t have any contact with her. Our family was united for everything, but, to give you an idea, none of the brothers went to his wedding.”

When asked about this hypothesis, Sesp’s advisors did not confirm whether the Civil Police actually works with the investigative line mentioned by Babá. He only reported that the victim’s wife was taken to testify as a witness. Details of the investigation will not be disclosed at this time: “Only at the end will we be able to say anything regarding others involved and motivation”, informs the Sesp press office.

Funeral

The body of José Maria Gagno Intra will be laid to rest at around 4 pm in the mortuary chapel of the Vila Nova Church. The family is Catholic and grew up in the outskirts of Vila Velha. Babá’s brother will be buried next to his late mother, in the Santa Inês cemetery.