Murder of Joana Cipriano
Encyclopedia
Joana Cipriano was an eight-year-old Portuguese
girl who disappeared from the village of Figueira
, near Portimão
, in the Algarve, on 12 September 2004. After criminal investigation, she was later assumed to have been murder
ed, though her body was never found.
Before this crime, the last first-degree murder of a child in the Algarve region had happened in November 1990 and involved a British girl. Nine-year-old Rachel Charles was abducted and murdered in Albufeira
. Her body was found three days later. A British mechanic, Michael Cook, a friend of the family, was arrested and convicted.
ended with the conviction for murder of Leonor and João Cipriano, Joana's mother and uncle. The prosecution claimed that Joana was killed because she saw her mother and João Cipriano, her mother's brother, having incest
uous sex, in accordance with the testimony of the stepfather of Leandro Silva, the common-law husband of Leonor Cipriano. Leonor Cipriano confessed to killing her daughter.
Her uncle confessed to having beaten her up after which she stood "quiet on the floor". He said he cut his niece's body in small pieces, put her in a fridge box, then put her inside an old car that was taken to Spain to be crushed and burned.
When he was asked if he had sexually abused his niece he said in the presence of his lawyer "I did not harm her, I only killed her".
, where Madeleine McCann disappeared
on 3 May 2007. In both cases the mothers launched campaigns to find their girls and in both cases the local police, unable to find the girls alive, investigated the possibility of the mothers having killed their daughters. On 19 June 1996, a six-year-old German child, Renè Hasèe, also disappeared,
from the Amoreira beach near Aljezur
while walking a few metres ahead of his parents.
A child protection specialist, Mark Williams-Thomas, who believes that Joana's and Madeleine's disappearances are related, commented that the disappearance of two children unknown to each other, within a period of four years in a seven-mile radius, would be a huge coincidence, especially considering that "Portugal is a small country with very, very few abductions[...]" (Portugal's land area is about 70% of England's land area; its population in 2007 was roughly 22% of England's population). Leandro Silva, the common-law husband
of Leonor Cipriano, commented that "the only difference between the McCanns and us is that we don't have money".
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
girl who disappeared from the village of Figueira
Figueira (Faro)
Figueira is a village near Portimão in the Algarve in Portugal. In the English-speaking world its main claim to fame is the disappearance there, on 12 September 2004, of a local girl, eight-year-old Joana Cipriano, and the subsequent conviction of her mother and uncle for murder.-External links:*...
, near Portimão
Portimão
Portimão is a Portuguese town located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve, the southern coast of Portugal. It was formerly known as Vila Nova de Portimão . In 1924, it was incorporated as a cidade and became known merely as Portimão. The town has 41,000 inhabitants and the Portimão...
, in the Algarve, on 12 September 2004. After criminal investigation, she was later assumed to have been murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed, though her body was never found.
Before this crime, the last first-degree murder of a child in the Algarve region had happened in November 1990 and involved a British girl. Nine-year-old Rachel Charles was abducted and murdered in Albufeira
Albufeira
Albufeira is a Portuguese municipality in the Faro District, Algarve region. Its name came from the Arabic: البحيرة . The city has a population of 13,646. The municipality has a population of 35,281 inhabitants and a total area of 140.6 km²...
. Her body was found three days later. A British mechanic, Michael Cook, a friend of the family, was arrested and convicted.
Investigation
The investigation by the Polícia JudiciáriaPolícia Judiciária
The Polícia Judiciária is the main police branch of criminal investigation in Portugal, dedicated to fighting criminality, organized crime, terrorism, drugs, corruption and financial crimes...
ended with the conviction for murder of Leonor and João Cipriano, Joana's mother and uncle. The prosecution claimed that Joana was killed because she saw her mother and João Cipriano, her mother's brother, having incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous sex, in accordance with the testimony of the stepfather of Leandro Silva, the common-law husband of Leonor Cipriano. Leonor Cipriano confessed to killing her daughter.
Her uncle confessed to having beaten her up after which she stood "quiet on the floor". He said he cut his niece's body in small pieces, put her in a fridge box, then put her inside an old car that was taken to Spain to be crushed and burned.
When he was asked if he had sexually abused his niece he said in the presence of his lawyer "I did not harm her, I only killed her".
Allegations of police misconduct
Though Leonor Cipriano confessed to killing her daughter, it was only after nearly 48 hours of continuous interrogation, and she retracted her confession the next day, claiming she had been beaten. She had extensive bruising after the interrogation, which the police claimed came about when she threw herself down the stairs. Since then Gonçalo Amaral and four other Portuguese police officers have been charged with offences. "Mr Amaral was not present at the time of her alleged beating but is accused of covering up for his colleagues, which he strenuously denies." Leonor Cipriano's former lawyer said that Leonor does not know who beat her up.Comparison to disappearance of Madeleine McCann
The village of Figueira is only seven miles from Praia da LuzPraia da Luz
Praia da Luz , officially Luz, is a civil parish, village and resort located about 6 km from the municipality of Lagos in the Algarve, Portugal. Also known as Luz de Lagos or Vila da Luz, "Praia da Luz", which means Beach of the Light, is used to refer to both the village and the beach...
, where Madeleine McCann disappeared
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007. She was on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in the Algarve region of Portugal. The British girl went missing from an apartment, in the central area of the resort of Praia da Luz, a few days before her fourth...
on 3 May 2007. In both cases the mothers launched campaigns to find their girls and in both cases the local police, unable to find the girls alive, investigated the possibility of the mothers having killed their daughters. On 19 June 1996, a six-year-old German child, Renè Hasèe, also disappeared,
from the Amoreira beach near Aljezur
Aljezur
Aljezur is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 323.5 km² and a total population of 5,322 inhabitants. The word is derived from the Arabic word "Aljuzur" , the plural of island....
while walking a few metres ahead of his parents.
A child protection specialist, Mark Williams-Thomas, who believes that Joana's and Madeleine's disappearances are related, commented that the disappearance of two children unknown to each other, within a period of four years in a seven-mile radius, would be a huge coincidence, especially considering that "Portugal is a small country with very, very few abductions[...]" (Portugal's land area is about 70% of England's land area; its population in 2007 was roughly 22% of England's population). Leandro Silva, the common-law husband
Common-law marriage
Common-law marriage, sometimes called sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute, is a form of interpersonal status that is legally recognized in limited jurisdictions as a marriage even though no legally recognized marriage ceremony is performed or civil marriage...
of Leonor Cipriano, commented that "the only difference between the McCanns and us is that we don't have money".