Deise Moura dos Anjos, aged 42, had been in custody since January, awaiting trial for allegedly murdering three relatives and attempting to kill others with an arsenic-laced cake.
Suspect in Christmas Cake Poisoning Found Dead in Jail Cell
Suspect in Christmas Cake Poisoning Found Dead in Jail Cell
A Brazilian woman implicated in a deadly Christmas cake poisoning case has been discovered dead in her prison cell, presumed to have taken her own life.
Following an investigation, police believe Moura dos Anjos poisoned her victims with a cake made from contaminated flour. The probe indicated she may also be linked to her father-in-law's suspicious death.
Deise Moura dos Anjos, a 42-year-old woman embroiled in a grave poisoning case, has been found dead in her jail cell, with authorities suspecting suicide.
Moura dos Anjos was detained since January, facing serious charges for allegedly murdering three family members and trying to poison another three with a Christmas cake tainted by arsenic. The case surfaced during the holiday season, where forensic evidence traced the deadly substance back to the cake she prepared.
Investigations into the matter escalated when exhumation of her father-in-law's remains revealed alarming arsenic levels, suggesting he might have been poisoned as well. While Moura dos Anjos maintained her innocence, local law enforcement officials expressed confidence in their findings, indicating purchases of arsenic by her on multiple occasions.
Following her arrest, comprehensive testing of food items from her mother-in-law's home substantiated the source of the poisoning, identifying arsenic in the flour used for the Christmas cakes. Despite her mother-in-law, Zeli dos Anjos, having baked the cake and consuming it, she was swiftly cleared as a suspect after falling ill herself.
Tragically, the poisoning resulted in the deaths of two of Zeli's sisters and a niece, while others, including her grandson and a nephew, survived the ordeal.
Deise Moura dos Anjos, a 42-year-old woman embroiled in a grave poisoning case, has been found dead in her jail cell, with authorities suspecting suicide.
Moura dos Anjos was detained since January, facing serious charges for allegedly murdering three family members and trying to poison another three with a Christmas cake tainted by arsenic. The case surfaced during the holiday season, where forensic evidence traced the deadly substance back to the cake she prepared.
Investigations into the matter escalated when exhumation of her father-in-law's remains revealed alarming arsenic levels, suggesting he might have been poisoned as well. While Moura dos Anjos maintained her innocence, local law enforcement officials expressed confidence in their findings, indicating purchases of arsenic by her on multiple occasions.
Following her arrest, comprehensive testing of food items from her mother-in-law's home substantiated the source of the poisoning, identifying arsenic in the flour used for the Christmas cakes. Despite her mother-in-law, Zeli dos Anjos, having baked the cake and consuming it, she was swiftly cleared as a suspect after falling ill herself.
Tragically, the poisoning resulted in the deaths of two of Zeli's sisters and a niece, while others, including her grandson and a nephew, survived the ordeal.
