Cuiabá jury trial resumes for Roberto Zampieri murder suspects

A new jury trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Cuiabá for three men accused of the December 2023 murder of lawyer Roberto Zampieri. The proceedings, presided over by Judge José Mauro Nagib Jorge, follow the dissolution of a previous jury due to a juror falling ill during a session in July.

The defendants are Antônio Gomes da Silva, who reportedly confessed to firing the shots; Hedilerson Fialho Martins Barbosa, accused of acting as an intermediary; and retired Army Colonel Etevaldo Luiz Caçadini de Vargas, suspected of financing the assassination. The trio faces charges of qualified homicide involving a reward promise and the use of restricted firearms. Investigations suggest the motive may have been a dispute over the Lagoa Azul farm, a property valued at approximately R$ 100 million.