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Solved case · 1992
Also known as Witches of Guaratuba · Evandro case
The short answer
In 1992, six-year-old Evandro Ramos Caetano disappeared and was found murdered and mutilated in Guaratuba, Brazil, sparking one of the longest-running legal cases in Brazilian history, involving allegations of ritual murder, torture, and decades of trials.
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Suggest coverage for Guaratuba child murdersThe case file
On April 6, 1992, six-year-old Evandro Ramos Caetano disappeared while walking home from school in Guaratuba, Brazil. Five days later, his body was found in a thicket. The body showed extensive evidence of violence and mutilation, including the removal of body parts and organs. For years, questions persisted over whether the recovered body was actually Evandro's, a matter eventually addressed through DNA and dental arch testing.
The public prosecutor's office of Paraná indicted Celina Abagge, the wife of Guaratuba's mayor, and her daughter, Beatriz Cordeiro Abbagge, alleging they had requested the kidnapping and murder of Evandro with the intent of using the corpse in a human sacrifice ritual. A pai-de-santo (a religious leader in Afro-Brazilian traditions), Oswaldo Marcineiro, along with a painter, Vicente de Paula Ferreira, and an artisan, Davi dos Santos Soares, were indicted for allegedly performing the ritual. Francisco Sérgio Cristofolini and Airton Bardelli dos Santos were also indicted for participation in the crime.
Some of those indicted reportedly confessed to involvement in the kidnapping of another child, eight-year-old Leandro Bossi, which led to speculation about possible connections to the disappearances of six to eight other children in Guaratuba that same year. Police at the time stated they had no evidence to support such connections.
The case became known for numerous complicating factors, including a rivalry between military and civil police forces, allegations of confessions obtained under torture, allegations of kidnapping tied to the investigation, and claims of political interference in the legal proceedings.
On March 23, 1998, Beatriz and Celina were tried for the first time, in what became the longest jury trial in Brazilian legal history, lasting 34 days; both were found not guilty. In 1999, that verdict was invalidated, and a new trial began in May 2011. In this second trial, Beatriz was found guilty and sentenced to 21 years in prison. In 2016, her sentence was legally forgiven on the grounds that she was the mother of a minor child.
Separately, Osvaldo Marcineiro, Vicente de Paula Ferreira, and Davi dos Santos Soares were convicted in 2004 in connection with the case, while Francisco Sérgio Cristofolini and Airton Bardelli dos Santos were acquitted in 2005.
By 2016, the case's official archive reportedly comprised 60 volumes and more than twenty thousand pages, reflecting its status as one of the longest-running legal cases in Brazil. The case later drew renewed public attention through the audio documentary Projeto Humanos and a 2021 Globoplay docuseries.
9 dated entries · 1992–2021
Six-year-old Evandro Ramos Caetano disappears while walking home from school in Guaratuba, Brazil.
Evandro's body is found in a thicket in Guaratuba, showing signs of mutilation and missing organs.
Celina Abagge and Beatriz Cordeiro Abbagge stand trial for the first time, in what becomes the longest jury trial in Brazilian legal history, lasting 34 days; both are acquitted.
The 1998 jury verdict is invalidated.
Osvaldo Marcineiro, Vicente de Paula Ferreira, and Davi dos Santos Soares are convicted in connection with the case.
Francisco Sérgio Cristofolini and Airton Bardelli dos Santos are acquitted.
A new trial of Beatriz Cordeiro Abbagge begins; she is found guilty and sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Beatriz Cordeiro Abbagge's sentence is legally forgiven due to her being the mother of a minor; the case's official archive is reported to have 60 volumes and over twenty thousand pages.
The docuseries The Evandro Case: A Devilish Plot is released by Globoplay.
9 named in this file
Victims first. Every legal label is set from public records and court outcomes, not from the prose.
Six-year-old boy who disappeared and was found murdered and mutilated in Guaratuba in 1992.[3]
Eight-year-old child whose kidnapping some indicted individuals reportedly confessed to being involved in.[3]
Daughter of Celina Abagge; indicted for allegedly requesting the kidnapping and murder of Evandro; acquitted in 1998, later found guilty in a 2011 retrial and sentenced to 21 years, with the sentence legally forgiven in 2016.[3]
Artisan indicted for allegedly performing the ritual involving Evandro's body; convicted in 2004.[3]
Pai-de-santo indicted for allegedly performing the ritual involving Evandro's body; convicted in 2004.[3]
Painter indicted for allegedly performing the ritual involving Evandro's body; convicted in 2004.[3]
Indicted for participation in the crime; acquitted in 2005.[3]
Wife of Guaratuba's mayor; indicted for allegedly requesting the kidnapping and murder of Evandro; acquitted in the 1998 trial.[3]
Indicted for participation in the crime; acquitted in 2005.[3]
From the record
3 cited
Coverage is not a source: every fact in this file rests on the records below.
PressAssociated PressAccessed Jul 7, 2026
Pressgazetadopovo.com.brAccessed Jul 7, 2026
EncyclopedicWikipediaAccessed Jul 7, 2026
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