Three men convicted for murder of man and 8-month-old baby in Itatiaia

Three men have been convicted by a jury for the murder of a man and his eight-month-old daughter, as well as the attempted murder of the child's mother. The trial took place in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, May 29, with the convictions announced by the Public Prosecutor's Office of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ). Two of the defendants received sentences of 62 and 43 years in prison for their involvement in the two homicides and the attempted murder of the mother. The third individual was sentenced to four years of imprisonment solely for his participation in the man's death. According to the MPRJ, the jury determined that the third convict's role was limited to monitoring the victim and that intent to kill the infant was not proven. Two other women who were charged in the case were acquitted at the prosecution's request. The crime occurred in November 2022 in Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro, as the victims were leaving the city's courthouse by taxi after a hearing. Investigations revealed that the victims were monitored from the moment they left the courthouse and were subsequently followed by the perpetrators' vehicle. Shortly thereafter, their taxi was intercepted, and one of the convicted individuals opened fire. The man died at the scene, and the baby, despite being taken to the hospital, succumbed to her injuries. The mother survived a gunshot wound to the arm. The MPRJ alleged that the motive for the crime was revenge, as the deceased man was reportedly responsible for the death of a partner of one of the convicted individuals in a separate criminal case. The prosecution also argued that the attack was an ambush that endangered others. The baby's age, under 14, was considered an aggravating factor in the crime.