Eloá Pimentel hostage crisis

Eloá Pimentel hostage crisis refers to the kidnapping, holding hostage and murder of Brazilian 15-year-old girl Eloá Cristina Pimentel in October 13, 2008; this crime, and the shooting of Pimentel's friend Nayara Silva were both committed by Eloá's ex-boyfriend Lindemberg Alves. The incident received major media exposure not only because of the shootings, but also because of the mistakes made by the police of São Paulo. Eloá Pimentel was held as a hostage for 100 hours – the longest kidnapping ever registered in the state of São Paulo.[1] The trial of Alves started on February 13, 2012, exactly three years and four months after the crime.

The kidnapping

On October 13, 2008, Eloá Pimentel, Nayara da Silva and two friends were working on a school project, when Eloá's 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, Lindemberg Fernandes Alves, broke into her apartment in Santo André, holding a pistol. He soon released the two boys, but held Eloá and Nayara. The GATE (Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais, or Special Tactical Actions Group) closely followed the situation. On October 16, da Silva was eventually released by Alves, but she offered to return to the apartment, to try to negotiate with the kidnapper. After she entered the apartment, she was held hostage again. Hours later, shots were heard coming from the apartment, and the GATE decided to storm the apartment. They eventually stopped and immobilized him, but not before he could shoot Eloá twice (once in the head and other in the groin), and shoot once in Nayara's face.[2] Eloá, severely wounded, was taken to the hospital, but was brain dead due to brain damage and died on October 18, at 23:30.[3]

Aftermath

The body of Eloá Pimentel was buried in the Jardim Santo André cemetery, in Santo André, and the ceremony was attended by ten thousand people.[4] Her heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and cornea were donated, to the benefit of seven people.[5] It was later discovered that Eloá's father, Everaldo Pereira dos Santos, was a suspect in the murder of two people in the state of Alagoas.[6] Everaldo Pereira dos Santos ran away during the incident but was captured on December 28, 2009, in Maceió.[7]

The trial of Lindemberg Alves Fernandes lasted 4 days, from February 13 to February 16, 2012. He was found guilty of all 12 crimes he committed, and condemned to 98 years and 10 months of imprisonment. Brazilian law, however, limits the penalty time to 30 years.[8]

Controversy

The incident was widely commented because of the mistakes committed by the police, especially the fact that they allowed Nayara to return to the apartment. Marcos do Val, a Brazilian SWAT instructor, pointed out other mistakes, such as allowing the kidnapping to last for so many days, not shooting Lindemberg with a sniper, taking too long to storm the apartment after breaching the door, and not using the back door or the windows.[9]

Media coverage

In 2016, it was released an episode of the true crime documentary television series Investigação Criminal about the case.

References
  1. Mais longo caso de cárcere privado em SP completa 3 dias; negociações prosseguem – Folha de S. Paulo
  2. Teenage girls held hostage in Brazil wounded in police rescue raid – Trend News
  3. Jovem baleada após seqüestro no ABC tem morte cerebral, diz equipe médica – globo.com
  4. Corpo de Eloá é enterrado em Santo André (SP); 10 mil pessoas acompanham cerimônia – Folha Online
  5. Corpo de Eloá está no IML de Santo André; órgãos devem beneficiar sete pessoas – Folha Online
  6. Pai de Eloá é acusado de mais dois homicídios e de deserção – Folha Online
  7. Former policeman Everaldo, Eloá's father, is arrested by Civil Police
  9. Swat teria atirado em seqüestrador, diz especialista em negociações – globo.com
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