Death of Otávio Jordão da Silva

On 30 June 2013, Otávio Jordão da Silva Cantanhede, a 20-year-old amateur football referee, was officiating an informal match in the town of Pio XII, Maranhão, Brazil. During the game, he sent off a player, Josemir dos Santos Abreu, 31, for a rules violation. Abreu refused to leave the field and confronted da Silva, ultimately throwing a punch at him. In response, da Silva drew a knife from his pocket and stabbed Abreu multiple times. Abreu died while being transported to the hospital.

News of Abreu's death spread quickly among the spectators, which included his friends and family members. A crowd invaded the pitch, stoned da Silva, and then killed him by decapitation and quartering. His head was subsequently placed on a stake on the field. A police chief, identified as Valter Costa, was quoted responding to the killing by stating that "one crime will never justify another."

Later accounts and eyewitness testimony have offered additional context on the nature of the match, describing it as an informal, unsanctioned pickup game rather than an organized amateur league fixture. According to this account, the teams involved did not have formal names, and da Silva had taken on the referee role informally because he had an injured foot and was not actively playing. The match took place in a rural neighborhood setting without official oversight from any sporting body.

Following the killing, one suspect was arrested in connection with da Silva's death. Police continued to search for at least two additional people believed to be involved, including a brother of Abreu, the player who was fatally stabbed.

A graphic video reportedly surfaced online shortly after the incident showing medical personnel in the process of reassembling da Silva's body. This footage circulated widely as part of broader reporting and public reaction to the case.

This case involves two distinct violent deaths on the same day at the same location: the killing of Josemir dos Santos Abreu by da Silva during the altercation on the field, and the subsequent killing of da Silva by the crowd of spectators.