Trial Opens for Three Accused in Killing of Gospel Singer Sara Freitas in Bahia

Overview

• The jury convened this morning at the Fórum Desembargador Gerson Pereira dos Santos in Dias D'Ávila, with proceedings expected to run about three days.
• Ederlan Santos Mariano, Weslen Pablo Correia de Jesus (known as Bispo Zadoque) and Victor Gabriel Oliveira Neves remain in preventive detention as they face trial.
• According to the case file, Sara Freitas was lured to a supposed religious meeting, stabbed 22 times, and her body was later concealed and partially burned.
• The Public Ministry charges include qualified femicide for vile motive with cruelty and impossibility of defense, plus concealment of a corpse and criminal association.
• Investigators say Ederlan ordered the murder and paid R$2,000, Weslen carried out the stabbing, and Victor restrained the victim, while a fourth participant, Gideão Duarte de Lima, was convicted in April and Sara’s mother attended court calling for justice.