A young woman in Brazil has been accused of deliberately using her car to run down and kill her ex-boyfriend and his friend, following a series of chilling threats including telling him to "kiss the devil".
A Night of Jealousy Turns Deadly
Geovanna Proque da Silva, 21, is now in pre-trial detention, accused of the murders of Raphael Canuto da Costa, 21, and Joyce Correa da Silva, 19. The horrific incident occurred in the early hours of December 28 on Rua Professor Leitão da Cunha in Sao Paolo's Parque Regina area.
According to police, the tragedy was captured on CCTV. The two victims were travelling on a scooter at around 3am when a car, allegedly driven by Silva, struck them from behind. The force of the collision threw both men from the vehicle, and they were pronounced dead at the scene.
A Trail of Violent Threats
Investigators allege the attack was the culmination of a fit of jealousy. A day before the killing, on December 27, Silva, who was at a party, reportedly sent a series of threatening messages to Costa. The pair had dated for just one month.
Police state that in one message, she warned him: "Go kiss the devil. I'm pissed." In another, sent while she was at a barbecue, she allegedly threatened: "If I go there, this steak knife will cut your throat." Further texts expressed frustration over him not replying to her messages.
The threats reportedly escalated in the early hours of the fateful Sunday. Silva is accused of sending messages to people at a party, including female friends of Costa with whom he had no romantic involvement, vowing to remove them from the venue "one way or another".
StepMother's Account and Psychiatric History
Silva's stepmother, Dr Gabrielle Schneid de Pinho, has spoken about her stepdaughter's mental health. She stated that Silva has "psychiatric disorders" and uses medication for depression and bipolar disorder.
Dr Pinho also described a troubled relationship with Costa, marked by "betrayals and jealousy". On the night of the incident, she claimed she was in the car with Silva. After Silva suspected other women were at Costa's home, they drove there before leaving. Costa later followed them, stopping to pick up his friend Joyce.
Dr Pinho alleges that Silva then began "chasing Raphael at high speed". "I repeatedly asked her to stop the car," the stepmother said, adding that Silva remained silent and continued the pursuit, which ended in the fatal collision.
Aftermath and Arrest
In a shocking twist, witnesses claim that after the crash, the veterinary medicine student told people at the scene: "Go help your friend and the slut I just killed."
Silva was subsequently arrested and is being held on suspicion of double murder. Police are working on the theory that she intentionally killed the two men out of jealousy. The case has sent shockwaves through the local community and highlights the extreme dangers of domestic violence and unchecked escalation.
