Brazilian woman becomes a police officer to catch her father’s murderer and arrests him 25 years later

In an incident straight out of a Bollywood revenge film, a Brazilian woman took matters into her own hands after waiting 25 years for her father’s killer to be arrested. The 36-year-old police officer Gislayne Silva de Deus took up the job to avenge her father’s death. Together with the Brazilian civil police Roraima, they arrested 60-year-old Raimundo Alves Gomes, who reportedly murdered her father Givaldo José Vicente de Deus in 1999.

According to Brazilian media outlet Nova1, Givaldo was shot at close range by Raimundo during a dispute over $20. After the shootout, Raimundo fled, leaving Givaldo mortally wounded. He was initially caught and brought to trial, but managed to escape. After being sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2013, he was allowed to be released after a series of appeals against the sentence. A warrant was finally issued for his arrest in 2016, but he disappeared again.

At this point, the then lawyer Gislayne decided to lead the investigation herself. Although she had no intention of working in the police, she went through several tests to join the police in the penal system in 2022. During her time in Roraima prison, she dreamed of the day she would see the perpetrator behind bars. Of her decision, she said: “I always imagined that he would arrive there to serve his sentence.”

After taking up a position as a police officer in July this year, she helped find her father’s murderer and asked to be transferred to the Homicide Squad (DGH), where she was actively involved in solving her father’s murder could collaborate.

Through their efforts, Raimundo was caught and arrested on formal charges. He was later transferred to Roraima Prison following a custody hearing.

Sharing her thoughts, Gislayne said: “When I saw that the person responsible for my father’s death was in custody, I had a breakdown and cried. It was an explosion of emotions that turned into tears of relief because it felt like this day would never come. When I saw him, I made it a point to tell him who I was and that I was responsible for enforcing the warrant,” Nova1 is quoted as saying.

In a message to others, she added: “I want this story to serve as an example for other children who, like me, have lost their father or mother violently.”