Quick Summary
- 1In the early hours of Monday, January 12, a tragic incident unfolded in the quiet municipality of Alto Rio Novo, located in the Noroeste region of Espírito Santo.
- 2Camila Domingos Barroso, 39, was arrested by the Civil Police on suspicion of murdering her husband, Edvaldo Evangelista de Souza, 36.
- 3The crime occurred inside the couple's home, where Barroso allegedly stabbed de Souza more than 20 times.
- 4While the suspect provided a statement to the Military Police claiming she acted in self-defense following a violent altercation, investigators are already casting doubt on this version of events.
A Violent Night in Alto Rio Novo
A quiet night in the Noroeste do Espírito Santo was shattered by a domestic tragedy that has left a community reeling. In the municipality of Alto Rio Novo, a dispute between a husband and wife escalated into fatal violence on the night of Monday, January 12.
Camila Domingos Barroso, 39, was taken into custody following the death of her husband, Edvaldo Evangelista de Souza, 36. The incident occurred within the walls of the couple's shared residence in the Padre Pedro neighborhood, a typically tranquil area.
Initial reports from law enforcement indicate that the severity of the attack has already begun to shape the investigation. What began as a domestic dispute has rapidly evolved into a homicide case that challenges the suspect's account of self-preservation.
The Incident and Arrest
According to the Polícia Civil, the events transpired during the early morning hours. Officers were dispatched to the scene where they found Edvaldo Evangelista de Souza deceased from multiple stab wounds. Camila Domingos Barroso was present at the location and was subsequently arrested in flagrante delicto for homicide.
The suspect was processed and transferred to the state's prison system. The body of the victim was removed from the property and transported to the Seção Regional de Medicina Legal (SML) in Colatina. There, forensic experts will perform a necropsy to officially determine the extent of the injuries and the precise cause of death.
The police operation was coordinated by the local precinct, securing the crime scene and initiating the preliminary investigative steps required in cases of violent death.
"Foram muitas perfurações. A gente ainda vai aguardar o laudo do DML, mas é algo em torno de 20 facadas. Provavelmente, a versão dela de legítima defesa não será acatada."— Delegado Átila Ambrósio de Freitas
Conflicting Narratives
The core of the investigation now rests on the discrepancy between the suspect's testimony and the forensic evidence. Barroso told the Polícia Militar that the violence was triggered by a refusal to engage in sexual relations. She stated that de Souza became enraged, kicked open the bathroom door, and entered with a knife.
She claimed that a physical struggle ensued, during which she managed to disarm him and inflict the wounds. Furthermore, she alleged that the victim had a history of aggression and that she had been a victim of domestic violence previously.
However, the Delegado (Police Chief) assigned to the case, Átila Ambrósio de Freitas, has publicly expressed skepticism regarding this defense. The sheer volume of attacks appears inconsistent with a purely defensive reaction.
"Foram muitas perfurações... Provavelmente, a versão dela de legítima defesa não será acatada."
Forensic Evidence
The investigation is leaning heavily on the initial findings from the crime scene technicians. The perícia (forensic examination) revealed a brutal attack that went far beyond a single act of defense.
Delegate Átila Ambrósio de Freitas noted that while they await the final report from the DML (Departamento de Medicina Legal), the preliminary count is alarming. The victim sustained approximately 20 stab wounds.
The distribution of these injuries across the victim's body further complicates the self-defense claim:
- 8 wounds located on the victim's back
- 7 wounds on the frontal area of the body
- Additional wounds located on the head
The presence of wounds on the victim's back suggests he may have been fleeing or already incapacitated when some of the blows were delivered.
Community Reaction
The brutality of the crime has sent shockwaves through the small community of Alto Rio Novo. Neighbors reported hearing screams, heated arguments, and sounds of distress throughout the night before police arrived.
Simone Torres, a local resident and homeowner, expressed the collective disbelief of the neighborhood. She emphasized that the area is characterized by close-knit relationships and low crime rates.
"É um choque muito grande. Aqui é um lugar pequeno, todo mundo se conhece. A gente nunca espera uma situação dessa."
Adding another layer to the tragedy, reports indicate that the pai da mulher (the suspect's father) was present in the house during the altercation. He reportedly witnessed the dispute and attempted to seek help from neighbors, highlighting the devastating impact of the violence on the extended family.
Legal Proceedings Ahead
As the investigation continues, the focus will shift to the formal legal process. Camila Domingos Barroso remains in custody while the Polícia Civil finalizes the inquiry and compiles the evidence for the Public Prosecutor's Office.
The final determination of whether the act was legítima defesa (legitimate defense) or homicídio (homicide) will depend heavily on the necropsy results and the reconstruction of the timeline of events. With the victim having sustained roughly 20 injuries, including eight to the back, the prosecution is expected to argue against the self-defense narrative.
This case serves as a grim reminder of how quickly domestic disputes can escalate. For the residents of the Padre Pedro neighborhood, the search for normalcy will be a slow process following a night that changed everything.
"É um choque muito grande. Aqui é um lugar pequeno, todo mundo se conhece. A gente nunca espera uma situação dessa."— Simone Torres, Moradora
Frequently Asked Questions
Camila Domingos Barroso is accused of killing her husband, Edvaldo Evangelista de Souza, by stabbing him more than 20 times. She was arrested by the Civil Police in Alto Rio Novo for homicide.
Police authorities, specifically the delegate on the case, doubt the self-defense claim because the victim sustained approximately 20 stab wounds. The high number of injuries, particularly those to the victim's back, suggests the attack was excessive for mere self-defense.
The crime took place inside the couple's home in the Padre Pedro neighborhood of Alto Rio Novo, a municipality in the Noroeste region of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Camila Domingos Barroso was formally booked for homicide and transferred to the state prison system. She awaits further legal proceedings based on the findings of the ongoing police investigation and forensic autopsy.
