A 57-year-old businessman accused of trying to kill four people, including his then-wife, on May 1, 2023, in Cernache, will go on trial in Coimbra on Tuesday.
The businessman is accused of shooting two men and two women near the company of which he was managing partner, in an act for which the prosecution does not indicate a motive.
According to the indictment to which the Lusa news agency had access, the alleged crimes took place in the late afternoon of May 1, 2023, after a meeting that the defendant’s then-wife had on the company’s premises with three other members (two men and a woman) of an organization that promoted and organized hikes in Coimbra.
At the end of the meeting, the defendant appeared at the premises, after having been out socializing “with his hunting companions”, but left suddenly, heading “at high speed” towards the company’s headquarters “for reasons that are unknown”, explained the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
When he arrived at the company, the defendant was introduced to those present by his wife, but ended up leaving the premises.
Without anything to suggest it, the defendant returned to the premises as those present were preparing to leave in their cars.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the 57-year-old businessman, armed with a semi-automatic shotgun, first went to the vehicle driven by a man who was reversing and allegedly fired two shots in the victim’s direction, hitting him in the left arm and grazing his chest.
He then went to another car, where a couple were, and allegedly fired once in their direction, hitting the man in the face.
Finally, the defendant went after his then-wife, also in a vehicle, and fired two shots, hitting the victim in the ear.
According to the indictment, the victim managed to get out of the car and run away, but was caught by the defendant, who, having run out of bullets, hit the woman twice on the head with the shotgun, and she fell to the ground inanimate.
The accused fled the scene and, back at his home, tried to kill himself with a firearm.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, a message written by the defendant asking for forgiveness from his children and calling his “wife a crook” was found in the defendant’s home.
The businessman is being held in custody in Aveiro prison and is accused, in addition to the four counts of attempted murder, of one count of possession of a prohibited weapon.
The trial begins on Tuesday at around 10:30.