São Paulo man charged with femicide in supermarket attack

The Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo (MP-SP) has formally charged Lafayete Gonzaga da Silva for the femicide of his former partner, Angelita Manoela Rodrigues. The attack occurred on Sunday, August 16, in a supermarket in the Morro Grande area of northern São Paulo.

According to investigators, the suspect first killed the victim's pet dog with a knife at their shared residence in Freguesia do Ó. He then pursued Rodrigues to a nearby supermarket, where he attacked her with multiple knife wounds in the meat department while she was waiting in line. The incident was captured on security footage and witnessed by numerous customers, including children.

Rodrigues was transported to Hospital Brasilândia but succumbed to her injuries. The MP-SP's indictment includes charges of femicide committed through cruel means and using resources that prevented the victim from defending herself, as well as animal cruelty resulting in death. The prosecution has requested the maintenance of the suspect's preventive detention and a minimum compensation of R$ 500,000 for the victim's family.

Friends and colleagues of the victim reported that their ten-year relationship was characterized by long-standing domestic violence, physical abuse, and social isolation.