Police authorities in the southern region of Brazil are continuing their efforts to locate the missing head of a 65-year-old woman who was brutally murdered and dismembered. The victim, Brasília Costa, was allegedly slain by her 66-year-old partner, Ricardo Jardim, in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. The investigation into the murder commenced after the discovery of the victim’s torso in a suitcase at the city’s bus station on August 20. Jardim was apprehended in September, with authorities claiming the homicide occurred on August 9. Prosecutors suggest that the suspected motive behind the crime was financial, as Jardim purportedly attempted to use Ms. Costa’s credit cards.
Jardim, who works in advertising, had previously served a 28-year sentence starting in 2018 for the murder of his mother, concealing her body in concrete. He was released in 2024 under a semi-open prison arrangement.
Chief investigator Mario Souza expressed optimism about recovering the victim’s head, as reported by local media outlet G1. Despite the challenges posed by the passage of time, Souza affirmed the commitment to finding the missing body part. The suspect will not be involved in the search due to previous instances of providing misleading information that impeded the investigation.
In a misleading statement to the police, Jardim claimed to have disposed of the victim’s head in a specific area, leading to unsuccessful searches in local landfills. The Public Defender’s Office representing Jardim has opted to reserve comments for court proceedings.
Even if the victim’s head remains unrecovered in the near future, law enforcement intends to conclude the investigation and formally charge Jardim with murder, according to G1 reports.
According to police reports, Jardim initially disposed of parts of the victim’s body on August 13 in an uninhabited area in the East Zone of Porto Alegre, devoid of surveillance cameras.
On August 20, Jardim purportedly left a suitcase at the bus station, a high-traffic area under surveillance, before traveling to the North Zone, visiting a commercial establishment, and later lodging at an inn. Identification of Jardim was facilitated by security footage revealing him adjusting his mask at the bus station.
The victim’s torso was found by station personnel on September 1, while her legs were subsequently discovered in separate locations in the South Zone of the city on September 6 and 7.
Forensic analyses are underway for submission to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.