Mother Of Barbaric Murder Victim: “I Never Thought They’d Kill My Son for Being Gay”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The mother of the young man who was beaten and burned alive for being gay, in the city of Luís Eduardo Magalhães, in western Bahia, said she never expected her son to be murdered because of his sexual orientation.

Guilherme de Souza, 21, was returning home in the early hours of Sunday, July 12th, when he was approached by a 14-year-old, who confessed to the crime. He was stoned with the help of another 16-year-old teenager, and when he fell unconscious, he was dragged and taken to an abandoned house, where he was set on fire.

“He was a good, happy person, playful with everyone. Never in my life would I think I would wake up to such news. Any mother believes that one day her son will come home because someone beat him, did something because he is gay. You always worry, a mother always worries about that. But never in my life would I think that they would kill my son like that, because he was gay,” said an emotional Franciane de Souza, Guilherme’s mother.

The 14-year-old, who premeditated and set fire to Guilherme alone, was arrested shortly after the crime and confessed to killing the victim. According to the police, in his first version, he said he had an argument with the victim, who supposedly cursed his mother.

However, during the investigations, the police discovered that the crime was in fact because of homophobia. The 14-year-old had told people in the city that he was upset by the way the young man looked at him. According to detective Rivaldo Luz, regional coordinator of the Civil Police, the teenager said he has no regrets over the crime.

“He was very cold in his statement. He confirmed that he killed him and said that the victim had harassed him the week before and he decided that he would kill him. A week later he met the victim and, along with someone else, he kicked the victim, knocked him on the ground, stoned him three times and the victim passed out at the scene,” said the detective.

“Together with the other minor who took part in the attack, he dragged him to an abandoned house where there was an old mattress, set fire to the victim and waited for the body to be completely charred, which proves coldness and calm to commit this crime, and at no time did he express any regret for the fact,” he added.

Some people who witnessed the attacks and did not call the police are being identified and may be criminally liable for failing to help.

“These people may also be held accountable because no one called the police. Although people did not witness the fire part, but rather the beating part, some people ran because it was a violent event and it was a dark street. People may be criminally liable for that too,” explained the deputy.

The other teenager involved in the crime reported to the police on Thursday, July 16th. According to the deputy, he did not set the victim on fire, but took part in the attack and would also be criminally charged with a crime. His detention order was issued and he was arrested.

“They will be temporarily detained pending a court order. They will be remanded to Salvador so that they can serve the sentence prescribed by a judge. They may be imprisoned for up to three years of social and educational measures.”

Source: G1

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