Police in the southern region of Brazil are actively seeking the whereabouts of the head of a 65-year-old woman who was brutally murdered and dismembered.
Brasília Costa was reportedly killed by her partner, 66-year-old Ricardo Jardim, in Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The investigation into the murder commenced after the discovery of the victim’s torso inside a suitcase at the city’s bus station on August 20. Jardim was apprehended in September, with authorities alleging that the homicide occurred on August 9 due to financial motives as Jardim purportedly attempted to utilize Ms. Costa’s credit cards.
Jardim, who works as an advertising executive, had previously served a 28-year sentence starting in 2018 for the murder of his mother, concealing her body in concrete. He was granted release in 2024 under a semi-open prison arrangement.
Chief investigator Mario Souza expressed hope in recovering the victim’s head, as reported by local news outlet G1. Despite the challenges posed by time, Souza affirmed their commitment to the search, emphasizing that Jardim would not be involved due to his history of providing misleading information to impede investigations.
Jardim had misled authorities by claiming to have disposed of the victim’s head near the Usina do Gasômetro region, leading to futile searches in local landfills. The Public Defender’s Office representing Jardim has stated that they will only issue comments through official court documents.
Even if the victim’s head remains unrecovered in the coming days, law enforcement plans to conclude the investigation and formally charge Jardim with murder, according to G1 reports.
Authorities revealed that Jardim initially discarded parts of the victim’s body on August 13 in an uninhabited area in the East Zone of Porto Alegre, where surveillance cameras were absent.
On August 20, Jardim purportedly left a suitcase at the bus station, a heavily monitored area. Subsequently, he traveled to the North Zone, visiting a commercial establishment and later lodging at an inn. His identification was made possible through security footage capturing him lowering his mask at the bus station.
The victim’s torso was discovered by station personnel on September 1, while her legs were found in separate locations in the South Zone of the city on September 6 and 7.
Forensic reports are currently being compiled for submission to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.