Man who stabbed wife to death in front of toddlers during football row jailed for 13 years

A man has been jailed for more than 13 years after stabbing his wife to death during a row over their rival football loyalties.

Leonardo Souza Ceschini stabbed Érica Fernandes Alves Ceschini eight times in front of their young children.

Leonardo, now 39, supports Corinthians, while 34-year-old sales representative Érica was a Palmeiras fan.

The two São Paulo clubs are bitter rivals, with Corinthians vs Palmeiras widely regarded as one of Brazil’s fiercest football derbies.

The killing happened the day after Palmeiras won the Copa Libertadores final, beating Santos 1-0 to become champions on 30 January 2021.

Leonardo said he and Érica had argued.

Neighbours called police after hearing screams coming from the couple’s flat in Barra Funda.

A man has been jailed for more than 13 years after stabbing his wife to death in front of their children during a row over rival football teams. — *Érica Fernandes Alves Ceschini with Leonardo Souza Ceschini and their children. (Picture: Jam Press)*

Officers found Érica covered in blood and dead on the kitchen floor, while Leonardo was also injured.

He initially claimed his wife had attacked him with a knife before killing herself, but later confessed to her murder.

Érica had been stabbed three times in the chest, four times in the back and once in the leg, as reported by Need To Know.

Leonardo told police that they had “fallen out because they supported different football teams”.

He claimed Érica had cut him with the knife before he managed to wrestle it from her and stabbed her in return, delivering “several blows that caused her death”.

Leonardo was arrested at the scene but released in February 2021 following a court ruling after his defence argued prosecutors had taken too long to respond to the case.

Prosecutors formally charged him with murder in July 2021, before a jury trial was ordered in February 2024.

Leonardo was finally sentenced yesterday (31 August) to 13 years and 24 days behind bars after being convicted of murder with aggravating factors.

The couple’s children, who were around two years old when they witnessed their mother’s murder, are now in the custody of their maternal grandmother.

Érica’s sister, Aline Oliveira, told local media: “The boys are with my mother, who has custody of them.

“Every day, she – and all of us – do our best to try to ease the pain and sadness they feel from not having their mother there with them every moment.”