Gunmen Kills Pedophile and Murderer
Gunmen Kills Pedophile and Murderer Screenshot from Facebook

A 46-year-old pedophile, Ferreira da Silva, was shot dead at close range after being released into a semi-open prison regime. Police have yet to identify the killers, who were seen on CCTV wearing hoodies and face masks.

The footage shows one assailant forcing da Silva to put his hands behind his head as he was led towards the entrance, while an accomplice kept hotel guests at bay. Moments later, da Silva collapsed on the pavement. Both attackers fled the scene immediately.

Ferreira da Silva's Gruesome Killing of a 9-Year-Old Boy

According to The Sun, da Silva had been released from the Osvaldo Florentino Leite Penitentiary under a semi-open prison regime by order of the Sinop court, despite serving a 42-year sentence. This meant he was not fully free and had to return to prison at night.

Da Silva brutally killed nine-year-old Bruno Aparecido dos Santos on Oct. 28, 2005. A former bricklayer, he had access to building sites, which he used to lure Bruno. Reports indicate that after tricking the boy onto a site, he sexually abused and murdered him before burying the body nearby.

He was not immediately arrested but was caught 10 days later while attempting to attack another child. According to a former Sinop resident, the victim – a 12-year-old selling ice lollies – managed to escape. The resident recalled that da Silva had scratches on his neck from the attempted assault. When questioned, da Silva cconfessed to 'raping, killing, and burning Bruno', though he later withdrew the confession at trial, claiming he was not responsible for it.

Motive Behind da Silva's Murder

Da Silva's horrific crime had enraged local residents at the time, with around 500 people attempting to lynch him while he was held in a police station. Police had to fire warning shots into the air and disperse the mob with pepper spray.

The killing on Wednesday morning may have been motivated by that lingering outrage, as two gunmen opened fire multiple times. It is not yet clear whether da Silva died instantly; his body has been sent to the Forensic Medical Institute for autopsy.

Upon hearing the news, Bruno's mother, Josiana, said she had asked for 'God's forgiveness for being happy'. She added: 'I am happy not for my son — my son died and there is no way back — but I am happy that this man will not kill anyone else. No child will be killed by him'.

Justice Came Late

Josiana said that in the end, justice had been served, but for her, it came far too late. During the trial, she recounted how she had once mustered the courage to confront the man who killed her son, only to be overwhelmed by rage and sorrow. 'I had the courage to go and see the man who killed my son when he was on trial, but I regretted it because I was filled with hatred and wanted to kill him,' she stated.

She confessed that, as a mother, the grief and anger were so overpowering that, had she been given the opportunity at that moment, she believed she might have acted on those feelings. She also spoke of the irreparable loss caused by her son's death, admitting she did not have the courage to see his body.

Josiana reflected on the life stolen from both her son and herself. 'Today I could have my grandchildren, his children, and I don't. I could be seeing him as a man, and I can't. It hurts every day'.

Social media reacted strongly to da Silva's death, with one user commenting: 'straight to hell. Good riddance'. Others echoed Bruno's mother, noting that the 'likelihood of reoffending is now zero', while some argued that 'rape should carry this type of punishment'.

No arrests had been made, and it remained unclear whether the killing was linked to da Silva's recent release from prison.