Police in Brazil arrested Wagner Cardeal Oganauskas, the president of a local sports and social club, for masterminding the murder-for-hire of his former wife and mother of their three children, Ana Paulo Campestrini, because she had come out as a lesbian.
The murder was captured on video and shows Marcos Antonio Ramon, a friend of Oganauskas, firing 14 shots directly into Campestrini's vehicle as she prepared to enter her gated condominium on June 22 in Santa Catarina. According to a report in the Tribuna, police arrested Oganauskas and Ramon within 48 hours of the murder, which they say was motivated by both homophobia as well as contentious custody and divorce battles in court.
"I've never caught a femicide with such a latent homophobic background," police representative Tathiana Guzella, said on Instagram (translated from Portuguese). "The victim sought to be happy and had a partner, but this division of the family was not allowed. This impediment to being with the children because of this homophobic issue."
Oganauskas and Campestrini were married and had three children together. She came out four years ago and sought a divorce. The two had been battling in court over custody of the children, as well as several hundred thousand dollars in communal assets, ever since. Police say Oganusakas prevented his former wife from visiting their children out of spite, and Campestrini would come to the Morgenau Society (the club where Oganauskas served as president) to wave at her children from the sidewalk.
Ana Paula Campestrini
Campestrini had just left the club on June 22 when she was followed by Ramon, a friend of Oganauskas and former director of the Morgenau Society, on a scooter with no license plates as she drove home. Security camera footage captured Campestrini's final moments and showed Ramon cutting her off and firing 14 shots point-blank into the open driver's side window as she started to enter her gated condominium complex. Ramon then sped off.
Graphic and uncensored video of the murder was posted to Instagram by Guzella. Caution: viewer discretion is strongly advised.
Police alleged Oganauskas had been planning the murder for months and paid Ramon 38,000 Brazilian real (around $7,300 USD) to kill his ex-wife and the mother of his children. Both men were arrested within 48 hours and video posted by police shows a SWAT-like raid on a building in the middle of the night.
Both men have denied involvement in the crime, and remain in custody on multiple charges. Oganauskas has also been relieved of his duties at the Morgenau Society.
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