A young woman was bludgeoned to death by her ex-husband while she slept, according to police.
The suspect was later shot dead by cops in an armed confrontation.
The victim, Joice Mara, 24, had separated from him two months ago.
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The former couple, who had an eight-year-old son together, had been in a relationship for 10 years.
Joice’s family claimed he was always violent towards her and that she even took out a restraining order against him in April.
She was killed in her home in the rural municipality of Mandirituba, located south-west of São Paulo, Brazil, in the early hours of yesterday (7 May).
According to the police, the suspect, named as Matheus Vinícius Lisboa, 29, entered the house while Joice and their son were asleep.
Her sister was also staying in the house at the time.
Matheus entered the victim’s bedroom with a club and a knife and attacked her, according to police.
Her sister reportedly ran out of the house to call for help.
The victim’s body was found by her dad after he received a call from the suspect’s father, as reported by Need To Know.
He took his daughter, whose body was found wrapped in a sheet, to the hospital, but there was nothing they could do to save her life.
A family friend said, “He entered the home while she was asleep, so there was no way for her to react.
“Her sister ran out screaming.
“Her father tried to save her, and then took her to the hospital, but there was no time left.
“We are extremely sad and angry, She was such a young, beautiful woman with her whole life in front of her.”
After the murder, Matheus sent messages to his father and a friend that suggested he was responsible, according to reports.
He also allegedly sent a message to Joice’s new boyfriend threatening: “You are next.”
After his father received a message admitting that Matheus had done “something wrong”, he immediately informed Joice’s dad.
Her cousin, Prisciely Naiara Kuchnir, told local media: “He said that if she didn’t go back to him, he would hurt her and her family.
“My aunt and uncle even received direct threats.
“Two months ago, she found the courage to eventually say ‘enough is enough’.
“He destroyed a family and left an eight-year-old child without a mother or father.”
Matheus fled the scene after Joice’s death.
He was reportedly killed in a confrontation with the police on Wednesday afternoon.
An investigation into the deaths is ongoing.
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