In a shocking and disturbing incident, the head of a murdered woman has been stolen from her grave in what is believed to be a sinister witchcraft ritual. The victim, Sabrina Tavares de Almeida, aged 31, was tragically shot dead in August of the previous year. Her grave was desecrated in March 2023, with her head being removed and replaced with an earthenware bowl containing burned materials.
This heinous act took place at Iguaçu Velho Cemetery in Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The main suspect in Sabrina’s murder, her former brother-in-law Mateus da Silva Osório Ferreira, has recently been released from custody in July.
Sabrina had been married to the suspect’s brother, police officer Cristiano da Silva Ozório Ferreira. Following Cristiano’s murder in 2016, Sabrina inherited his house, a situation that Mateus contested through legal means. Although Mateus lost the legal battle, he reportedly harboured resentment and threatened Sabrina.
Four months after Sabrina’s murder, Mateus was arrested and charged with femicide and attempted femicide. However, he was released from custody with certain precautionary measures on 20 July, prompting concerns within the community.
Sabrina and her mother Fátima de Azevedo Tavares were attacked by a hooded intruder while asleep in August 2022. Fátima managed to survive the assault by pretending to be dead. Investigations into both Sabrina’s murder and the grave desecration are ongoing.
Reports indicate that the cemetery administrator, Adilson Miguel da Silva, reported the desecration to the police in March. Criminal expert Fábio Barbosa Teixeira visited the scene the following morning and observed that the concrete cover had been broken. The wooden coffin’s lid inside the tomb was shattered, and the victim’s head had been removed. In its place was an earthenware bowl containing burned materials. Expert analysis suggests that this macabre act was carried out for the purpose of a religious ritual.
Sabrina’s father, Jorge Luiz Gomes de Almeida, expressed his shock and distress at the grave robbery. He lamented the lack of peace for his daughter, even in death. Police spokesperson José Mário Salomão de Omena noted that the evidence points towards a religious ritual rather than a message to the family.
The chilling case has left the community horrified, highlighting the deeply disturbing nature of the crime. As investigations continue, the next hearing in Sabrina’s murder case is scheduled for 28 August.
