On Sunday, December 3, 2023, a disturbing event occurred in São Paulo, Brazil, when a 36-year-old off-duty military police officer, Thiago de Lima, was filmed fatally shooting his wife of six months, 33-year-old, Erika de Lima.
The incident began with a heated argument between the couple near their car, escalating to Thiago physically assaulting Erika, punching her several times. The confrontation culminated in Thiago allegedly shooting Erika at least twice, leading to her falling to the ground.
After initially leaving the scene, Thiago returned to help his injured wife into the car amidst the emergence of local residents. Erika was later transported to a hospital by Thiago, where she was declared deceased.
Thiago de Lima faces charges of feminicide, a specific category of homicide related to domestic violence or discrimination against women. Erika had previously reported a domestic violence threat from Thiago about a month before the incident, claiming he pointed a gun at her head. She did not pursue charges, and Thiago refuted these claims.
This case has drawn attention to the ongoing problem of feminicide in Brazil, a country with a troubling record of violence against women. Erika de Lima leaves behind two daughters from her previous relationship.