8 Brazilian Soldiers Who Shot Dead Musician, Bystander in a Hail of Bullets Convicted of Murder
Friends and relatives of Brazilian musician Evaldo dos Santos Rosa, who was killed by an army unit when it shot at his car by mistake, hold Brazilian national flags stained in red -as blood- during a protest outside Regimento Sampaio barracks at Vila Militar neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 10, 2019. - Brazilian military authorities detained 10 soldiers who were part of a unit that shot over 80 times at a vehicle in Guadalupe neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro, killing a man and injuring two others Sunday. MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images

Eight Brazilian soldiers have been convicted of murder in light of the shooting and killing of a musician and a bystander.

According to the BBC, Evaldo dos Santos Rosa and Luciano Macedo died in April 2019 after soldiers in Brazil fired more than 250 rounds of bullets.

Prosecutors claimed that the troops had mistaken Santos Rosa's car for one of the same color driven by gang members.

A court in Brazil handed down lengthy jail terms for all eight soldiers on Thursday. Santos Rosa's widow, Luciana, said the sentencing on the soldiers has "brought peace" to her soul.

Luciana noted that she knew she would not get her husband back but said it would still be fair to have a positive outcome. She added that she'll be able to sleep now.

The eight Brazilian soldiers were not only convicted of murder but also attempted murder for the wounds caused to Santos Rosa's father-in-law in the shooting.

Evaldo dos Santos Rosa's Case

The lieutenant in command of the patrol was sentenced to 31 years and six months in prison, while the seven other soldiers had received a 28-year sentence, News 24 reported.

Santos Rosa, 51, was driving with his family in the Guadalupe neighborhood of northern Rio in a military-controlled zone when a hail of bullets was fired at his car.

Eighty-two shots had rained down on his vehicle. They were heading to a baby shower, according to the indictment papers.

Santos Rosa died on the spot, while his father-in-law was injured in the shooting. His wife, seven-year-old son, and a 13-year-old girl managed to escape unhurt.

Meanwhile, Macedo, a local rubbish collector, was shot while he was trying to help the musician's family. He died 11 days later.

Military prosecutor Luciano Gorilhas said there is no defense for 82 shots, adding that they were all fired with the same objective. Gorilhas further noted that the 82 shots "is an execution."

The eight Brazilian soldiers involved in the killing of Santos Rosa and Macedo were Lieutenant Italo da Silva Nunes, who commanded the action; sergeant Fabio Henrique Souza Braz da Silva; corporal Leonardo Oliveira de Souza; and soldiers Gabriel Christian Honorato, Matheus Sant'Anna, Marlon Conceicao da Silva, João Lucas da Costa Goncalo and Gabriel da Silva de Barros Lins, DW reported.

Nunes received the highest penalty for also being the first to shoot and fired the most times at 77. Four other military personnel, who were also accused, were acquitted for not having been proven to shoot at the time.

Santos Rosa died on the spot after being shot nine times. Military experts found 37 gunshot marks on walls and the cars around the operation site.

In recent years, the military in Brazil has been put in charge of security in the state of Rio, which is plagued with violence. The army had been in charge of the state's security from February to December 2018.

In 2017, a law was passed in Brazil stating that civilian deaths caused by military activity would be judge by the country's military court system.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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