A woman, 33, was fatally stabbed by her former partner who removed his court-ordered ankle monitor designed to keep him away from her. Jessica Stappazzollo Custodio de Lima suffered 27 stab wounds at her ex-boyfriend’s residence in Castelnuovo del Garda, Verona, Italy, on October 27-28. The victim, a Brazilian national working as a shop assistant in Italy, sustained lethal chest injuries, including two fatal knife wounds to her heart, as confirmed by the autopsy.
The perpetrator, Douglas Reis Pedroso, a 41-year-old Brazilian citizen, admitted to the killing during questioning before Verona Court Judge Paola Vacca, who approved his arrest and ordered his pre-trial detention. Prosecutors revealed that Pedroso tampered with the ankle monitor, allowing him to approach Jessica without triggering the alarm. Authorities discovered the hidden alarm after the incident.
The incident has sparked concerns about the efficiency of the surveillance system in high-risk cases. Pedroso faced previous charges for assaulting Jessica, with incidents dating back to August 2024. In April of this year, he was apprehended for physically assaulting Jessica and was instructed to stay at least 500 meters away from her. However, at the time of the recent arrest, authorities found that the monitoring device was not active.
Reports from TGCOM24 disclosed that Pedroso contacted the Carabinieri, Italy’s national gendarmerie, expressing suicidal intentions on the night of the incident. Upon arrival at his residence, officers discovered Jessica’s lifeless body. They later recovered the murder weapon from Pedroso’s vehicle. Additionally, a search of the premises uncovered six doses of cocaine and multiple bottles of alcohol.
Pedroso was apprehended in Valeggio sul Mincio and transferred to Montorio prison in Verona. During interrogation, he confessed to the murder but claimed he was under the influence of drugs and could not recall the details of the incident. His lawyer described him as deeply disturbed and shocked by the events.
Jessica’s sister, Laiza Stappazzollo, criticized law enforcement for not acting sooner despite multiple reports of abuse against Jessica. She stated that Jessica had reported Pedroso to the police but withdrew the complaints out of fear. Expressing anger and grief over the femicide, Ciro Maschio, Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies’ Justice Committee, highlighted the government’s new legislation to combat such crimes, emphasizing enhanced protections for victims of violence.
The tragic incident underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to prevent domestic violence and protect potential victims from harm.