Suspected Serial Killer in State of Goiás Treats Victims by Number, Police Say

10/17/2014 - 08h55

Police Commissioner Douglas Pedrosa, who headed the interrogation of the suspected serial killer in the capital city of Goiânia, said he was shocked during the first minutes of the testimony.

What is the name of the first woman you murdered? "It wasn't a woman. It was a man", Tiago Henrique Gomes da Rocha, 26, answered.

Not even the 150 police officers part of the task force that has been investigating for 70 days the murders that took place in the capital of the state of Goiás anticipated such a dramatic ending last Tuesday, October 14th, when the suspect was arrested.

According to the police, the suspect confessed to all 16 crimes under investigation and more, he confessed a total of 39 homicides. The first crimes date back to 2011.

The suspect's lawyer, Thiago Vidal, says his client denies all murders and that he only took up responsibility for them for feeling scared during the interrogation.

According to the Police Commissioner, Rocha spoke with his head up and was straight forward with his answers. He became annoyed with the presence of female officers, who subsequently left the room.

Instead of using the victims' names, the suspect chose to number them. "We asked him about the women and he said: 'Which number? Oh, victim number 3, victim number 5".

According to the police, victim number one is Diego Martins Mendes, 16. In 2011, the suspect approached Diego, under the assumption that he was gay, at a coach station.

Furthermore, the suspect convinced him to go to an overgrowth for sex. The act was never consummated, according to Rocha, but Diego was strangled. His body has never been found.

Two other men were the following victims: a former coworker, killed by stabbing and another man who Rocha also thought to be gay.

The subsequent targets were prostitutes and street dwellers. "Nobody would care about them", he told the police.

Rocha said to the police he was motivated by the urge to kill. "I am angry with the world", he said to the Commissioner.

On Sunday, October 12th, in a matter of hours the police did not come across Rocha, according to the Commissioner, in his last attempt of murder.

The victim was a woman but his gun failed. Rocha was open about approaching her, but claims he only wanted to mug her.

On Thursday, October 16th, Rocha was presented publicly by the police, when Family members of the murdered women shouted "murderer".

According to the Judiciary Policy in Goiás, the suspect tried to take his own life in the early hours by cutting his wrists with a broken lamp bulb.

In the morning, during the presentation, the crew was not able to see any injuries on the suspect.

Contribution by CARLA GUIMARÃES, in Goiânia

Translated by CRISTIANE COSTA LIMA

Read the article in the original language

	Alan Marques/Folhapress
	Thiago Henrique Gomes da Rocha (26) confessed a total of 39 homicides; the first crimes date back to 2011