Navy officer arrested for killing ex's parents has conviction upheld in RJ

The Rio de Janeiro Court upheld, last Wednesday (10), the conviction of Navy frigate captain Cristiano da Silva Lacerda, for the qualified homicides of his ex-in-laws in 2022, in the south zone of the capital. During the session, the officer's sentence was recalculated from 80 to 72 years in prison.

In addition to maintaining the conviction, which occurred after the 1st Criminal Chamber dismissed the defense's appeal, the loss of the public position of captain and the minimum compensation of R$200,000 for moral damages to the victims' families were also maintained.

In December last year, Cristiano went before a popular jury and was convicted of the deaths of Geraldo Pereira Coelho, aged 73, and Osélia da Silva Coelho, aged 72, his ex-boyfriend's parents. The crime, committed in June 2022, was motivated, according to the complaint, by the defendant's disagreement with the end of the relationship.

According to the TJRJ (Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro), Cristiano's defense appealed the conviction and requested the mistrial, alleging alleged procedural irregularities and questioning the validity of evidence and expertise produced during the investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office.

In addition, the lawyers also maintained that the defendant did not act with intent to kill because he was under the influence of alcohol and medication. The requests, however, were rejected by the courts.

The judge, in turn, stated that the complaint met the legal requirements and that the mental insanity examination concluded that the then captain was fully capable of understanding the illicit nature of his acts.

She also highlighted that, during the process, the thesis that drunkenness or the use of medication would have excluded criminal liability was ruled out.

Cristiano was sentenced to 80 years in prison last year, however, the Court assessed the need to partially reduce the penalty imposed in the sentence when analyzing the dosimetry. As a result, the sentence was recalculated to 72 years in prison.

Remember the case: Navy officer suspected of killing ex-boyfriend's parents will go to jury

Sentenced to 80 years
Navy frigate captain, Cristiano da Silva Lacerda, was sentenced by the Rio de Janeiro Court on December 12, 2025, to 80 years in prison, in a closed regime, for the stabbing murder of his ex-in-laws in 2022.

The Sentencing Council of the III Jury Court of the District of the Capital convicted the officer of the death of Geraldo Pereira Coelho, aged 73, and Osélia da Silva Coelho, aged 72, parents of the ex-boyfriend.

The jurors recognized the qualifications of a clumsy motive, a cruel means and a resource that made it impossible for the victims to defend themselves. An increase in the penalty was also assessed due to the fact that the crimes were committed against elderly people.

Ex-in-laws were stabbed
The crime took place in the apartment where Cristiano lived with his ex-partner. Days before the murder, the ex reported to the court that he had been attacked by his ex-boyfriend when he expressed his desire to end the relationship and that Cristiano had expressed his desire for his death.

According to the Public Ministry's complaint, the victims were attacked by surprise, when they were preparing to sleep, which made defense difficult.

The judge responsible for the case reinforced that the crime occurred through cruel means, due to the number of knife blows against the victims, causing them great suffering. The crimes were committed against elderly people.

Read also: Court rejects appeal and Navy officer suspected of killing ex-boyfriend's parents goes to jury

On the night of the murders, Cristiano sent a message to his ex, saying that his mother was feeling ill. Upon arriving home, Felipe found his parents' bodies covered in blood on the sofa. The Navy officer was found hiding inside a trunk, accompanied by a knife, pills and a bottle of whiskey.

CNN Brasil tries to contact the defendant's defense. The space remains open.

*Under the supervision of Carolina Figueiredo

Source: CNN