Story By Marija Stojkoska
News Editor Ajda Ender
Police have uncovered the body of a missing mum buried beneath a freshly cemented bedroom floor after her husband dug a grave inside their home and tiled it over before spending nearly three weeks eating and sleeping in the room.
Police dig up the floor of a house to retrieve the body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil.***Video Licence Restrictions: NEWS MEDIA PORTALS ONLY. Usage on social media is possible but we offer no guarantees. This video is offered under our ‘social and local media source’ licence. For details see https://newsx.agency/licences/ For terms visit: https://newsx.media/terms-conditions/
The body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, was found at the family home in Sao Jose do Calcado, a small town in Espirito Santo state in south-eastern Brazil, on 24th July, after she had been missing for nearly 20 days.
Picture shows Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
The video shows officers digging beneath the floor inside the couple’s home after Mario Almeida Pinto, 46, led detectives to the spot where he said he had buried his wife’s body.
Picture shows Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, and her husband Mario Almeida, 46. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
Police said the suspect had dug a hole inside the couple’s bedroom, buried Monique, rebuilt the concrete floor and laid new ceramic tiles over the grave in an attempt to hide the body.
Picture shows Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
In a bone-chilling twist, detectives revealed that Pinto continued to live completely normally inside the property for nearly three weeks.
Picture show Mario Almeida, 46. He killed his wife Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, and buried her inside their home in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
He regularly slept and ate his daily meals inside the bedroom, directly over the freshly laid tiles hiding his wife’s body.
Picture show Mario Almeida, 46. He killed his wife Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, and buried her inside their home in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
Detective Messias Sirtuli said: “After taking Monique’s life, he dug a hole inside the couple’s bedroom and buried her there.
Police dig up the floor of a house to retrieve the body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
“He rebuilt the concrete floor and also laid ceramic tiles over it. We needed assistance because he had, in fact, made a well-built tomb for Monique.”
Police dig up the floor of a house to retrieve the body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
Investigators said they became suspicious after learning the suspect had been carrying out building work inside the house while his wife was supposedly missing.
Police dig up the floor of a house to retrieve the body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
The detective said his calm behaviour also raised concerns during the investigation.
Police dig up the floor of a house to retrieve the body of Monique Oliveira Fernandes, 33, in Sao Jose do Calcado, Brazil. Her husband killed her and buried her inside their home. Note: Private picture. (Newsflash/NX)
He said: “He always appeared very calm, very cold and untroubled by her disappearance. That was when we called him in to speak with us.”
Police said Pinto initially claimed Monique had travelled to Rio das Ostras, in Rio de Janeiro state, but investigators found evidence that contradicted his account.
After several days of inquiries, he voluntarily attended the police station with his lawyer and confessed to killing his wife.
According to detectives, he told officers the couple argued and claimed Monique came at him with a knife.
He alleged he struck her on the head with a wooden stool, then hit her a second time after she got back up and approached him again.
Police said he claimed she collapsed unconscious and died.
Following the confession, officers returned to the property with the suspect, who pointed out the exact location of the body.
The remains were taken to the Regional Forensic Medical Unit in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim for a post-mortem examination.
Police said Pinto was arrested on suspicion of concealing a corpse and was remanded into custody.
Detectives explained that although he confessed to the killing, he was not arrested in the act for homicide because the alleged murder had taken place days before he surrendered, while concealing a body is treated as a continuing offence under Brazilian law.
Monique’s mother, Silvania Santos de Oliveira, said she had urged her daughter to leave the relationship after discovering messages from another woman on her husband’s phone.
She said: “I did everything I could to prevent this tragedy.
“He is a murderer. If he had truly loved her, he would never have done this. I want God’s justice to be done and for him to pay for everything he did.”
Monique had disappeared on 7th July, and her family reported her missing on 14th July after she stopped responding to messages.
She leaves behind two children, a 12-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)
