The people that discovered the nearly-decapitated and wholly disfigured remains of famous soccer player Daniel Corrêa Freitas, didn’t really know what they were looking at initially. It would have been hard for anyone to tell what they were seeing really, considering how much blood was splattered about the scene.
The soccer player’s mutilated remains were found in a bush in São Jose dos Pinhais, part of Brazil’s southern state of Paraná. It was a chilly October night and the body was bereft of most clothing. As to what happened to earn the famous footballer so ignominious an end, that remained to be seen…
Football Kid
Daniel Corrêa Freitas was practically born with a soccer ball at his feet. Right from the start, Daniel showed a remarkable aptitude for the sport. Growing up in his hometown state Minas Gerais, Freitas’ career really came into focus at the age of 19, when he began playing for Botafogo as a skilled attacking midfielder.
Damaged Potential
Unfortunately, a series of injuries to his right knee broke ligaments in the limb and hampered any chances of him playing for the senior team. Still, Freitas’ potential was such that he was transferred to São Paulo following his recovery. Sadly, his injuries proved to be persistent and grievously affected his burgeoning career.
Met His End
Freitas’ injuries kept him off the pitch for two months and he took that time to spend at least one, relaxing weekend in Parana on his club’s dime. In Parana, Freitas attended some parties, hobnobbed with some folks, and ultimately, met his untimely end at the hands of two people whom he had believed he could trust. If you ask them though, he had it coming.
COD
When Freitas’ body was first discovered, the Parana Scientific Police and the Medical Legal Institute (IML) did an initial forensic investigation on the slaying. Their initial findings revealed that the cause of death was a stab to the neck. The implement used would have had to be exceptionally sharp because it cut deeply into Freitas’ upper cervical muscle, exposing his spine.
Emasculated
Not only did the killer nearly decapitate the football star, they also took extra time to literally emasculate him. The forensic team was able to determine that someone cut off and removed his genitals after Freitas was dead. Whoever had done such a grisly and vicious thing must have been harboring a great deal of rage against the deceased.
Party Night
The police retraced Freitas’ steps the night before he was found. He had been to a nightclub and had been seen partying with a family there. Though they had been strangers before that night, a few drinks had ensured a potentially long-lasting friendship. Unfortunately, after Freitas left the club, no one recalled where he went.
Last Seen
Freitas had been last seen at a nightclub and the trail went cold. Nevertheless, authorities were determined to get to the bottom of things. They continued to assure the public that they were working their hardest to find the killer. A few days later, someone came forward and admitted that he knew exactly where Freitas had gone after the club; because he’d brought him there.
Birthday Party
Edison Brittes, his daughter Alana, and his wife Cristiana had gone to the club to celebrate Alana’s birthday. There, they met up with the handsome, 24-year-old soccer star. The Brittes family were enamored by him almost from the start and they invited him to continue the birthday festivities at their house. This turned out to be a fatal decision.
Dangerous Waking
It was in the early hours of the morning that Cristiana Brittes awoke to find the athlete in her bed, rubbing his apparently erect penis on her body. He was completely naked. She screamed and Edison came running toward the bedroom. The door was locked, so he shouldered it open with all his might, busting it at the hinges.
What He Saw
“When I went to the room,” Brittes alleged as he explained the situation to police. “The door was locked. Daniel had entered the room and taken off his clothes and locked the door. I broke open the door to my bedroom. When I opened the door he was on top of my wife. She was screaming for help.” However, even from the start, something about his explanation didn’t add up.
Violent Attack
After that, Edison jumped on the man, thrusting punches and eventually stabbing him in the neck. He was crazed, worried for his wife, and his family. Outside the room, the 10 or so other guests heard what was happening and wondered what they should do to help. By the time any of them got into the room, Freitas was already dead.
Alone
When confronted with the evidence, Edison told police that he’d committed the murder alone and dragged the body into the thicket by himself as well. Despite this, the evidence concluded that Freitas couldn’t have done so alone. Injuries on his thoracic and thighs indicated two people carried him. In a house of almost a dozen, who else could have been involved?
He’s On Her
For her part, Cristiana remembered little before she woke up to find the naked footballer in her bed. She was drunk, perhaps a little too drunk and at first, she thought it was a dream. It seemed a reasonable explanation for why Edison reacted the way he did. But this alleged account was not what it seemed, as police would soon discover.
Conflicting Accounts
The more detectives looked into the murder, the less the conflicting stories of the night’s activities made sense. Edison’s initial account said that he busted the door open with his shoulder, but a subsequent interview saw him change his story. This time, he came in through the window. And that wasn’t the only revelation police were about to receive.
Lying in Bed
Eventually, Cristiana came forward and admitted that the whole thing had been a misunderstanding. Freitas wasn’t trying to assault her and she hadn’t actually screamed. What she had done, was take a fake picture of the soccer player lying in bed with her and sent it to her husband as a joke. Edison Brittes was not the kind of person to take such jokes lightly…
Backfire
The hoax backfired when Edison lost his temper and began to attack the innocent soccer player with impunity. This revelation was coupled with new forensic reports that clarified Freitas’ drunken state precluded any sort of sexual assault; the man was too drunk to do just about anything except go along with Cristiana’s insane plan.
Multiple Charges
The not so harmless prank has since resulted in a number of charges against not only Edison Brittes, but his wife and daughter as well. Cristiana is being charged with murder, procedural fraud, and coercion of witnesses. There is also a chance that some of the other guests may be charged as well for their complicity in keeping the secret.
Accusations
Even though he admitted to the murder, the Brittes’ family lawyer, Cláudio Dalledone, has challenged the self-imposed allegations. His position is that “’Cristiana tried to prevent the player from being attacked.” He added that more than one witness heard her calling for help so that they could stop Edison from killing Freitas.
Not So Alone, After all
Seven people who had been at the house to celebrate Alana’s 18t birthday were also arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. According to the police, Eduardo da Silva, Ygor King, and David Willian even participated in the killing and were with Edison when he brought Freitas into the bushes to finish the job.
She Knew
It remains to be seen what kind of sentence all of these people will receive for Freitas’ murder. What we do know is that Cristiana knew all too well what type of temperament her husband had when she sent that picture. She knew what would happen and she did it anyway. She is as culpable as Edison in his death.
