Piauí Poisoning Case: Couple to Face Jury Trial

Francisco de Assis Pereira de Costa and Maria dos Aflitos da Silva are scheduled to stand trial before a jury in 2026. They are accused of poisoning ten people on the coast of Piauí between August 2024 and January 2025.

The crimes resulted in the deaths of eight victims, while two survived. The couple has remained in prison since January 2025. Judge Willmann Izac Ramos Santos, of the 1st Criminal Court of Parnaíba, ruled that there is sufficient evidence to proceed to the Tribunal do Júri, which handles intentional crimes against life.

The case involves a complex series of events, including the poisoning of children via fruit juice, a family lunch involving rice laced with toxic substances, and a fatal cup of coffee. The investigation led to the arrest of the couple and the dismissal of charges against a previously accused neighbor.

The series of poisonings began in August 2024. On August 23, brothers Ulisses Gabriel da Silva, 8, and João Miguel da Silva, 7, were hospitalized after drinking juice. João died days later, and Ulisses passed away in November 2024 at the Hospital de Urgência de Teresina (HUT).

Initially, neighbor Lucélia Maria da Conceição was arrested as the primary suspect. She spent five months in jail but was released after a report ruled out poison in the cashews the children consumed. The court exonerated her in October 2025.

On January 1, 2025, nine people ate rice contaminated with terbufós (a toxic substance similar to chumbinho) during a family lunch. Five people died:

• Francisca Maria Silva (32 years)
• Manoel Leandro da Silva (18 years)
• Maria Gabriele da Silva (4 years)
• Maria Lauane da Silva (3 years)
• Igno Davi da Silva (1 year)

Francisco de Assis also ate the rice and was hospitalized. After being discharged, he was arrested on suspicion of involvement. Police cited contradictions in his statements compared to other family members.

Further tragedy struck on January 20, 2025. Maria Jocilene da Silva, a neighbor and former daughter-in-law of Maria dos Aflitos, died after drinking coffee at the matriarch's house. She had previously survived the rice poisoning on January 1st. Her 11-year-old son, who also ate the poisoned rice, survived.

Maria dos Aflitos was arrested on January 31, 2025, suspected of being an accomplice to Francisco de Assis. During police interrogation, she confessed to poisoning Maria Jocilene's coffee. She claimed she did this to clear her husband's name regarding the previous attacks.

On March 6, 2025, both Francisco and Maria were indicted by the Civil Police for 23 crimes. These included the murder of seven family members and the ex-daughter-in-law. Police Delegate Abimael Silva stated that the couple premeditated the murders for selfish reasons and acted together, though with different roles.

The Public Ministry formally accused the couple of qualified homicide and attempted homicide. Maria Jocilene was counted as a victim of attempted murder prior to her death. The 1st Criminal Court of Parnaíba accepted the complaint on March 25, 2025, officially making them defendants.

During the instruction hearing on September 5, 2025, the court maintained the preventive detention of both suspects. During this hearing, the defendants denied any participation in the crimes. They attempted to shift the blame to Maria Jocilene, the deceased former daughter-in-law.

On October 21, 2025, the judge determined that the couple must go to a jury trial. A date for the trial has not yet been announced. If convicted, the couple may appeal, and the justice system may uphold, alter, or reverse the decision.