A woman who became a police officer to track down her father’s k!ller shared the emotional moment when she finally confronted him, saying she couldn’t “hold back the tears.” Gislayne Silva de Deus was just nine years old when her father, Givaldo, was m*rdered over a $66 debt.
The k!ller, Raimundo Gomes, had stormed out of a bar after an argument with Givaldo, only to return with a p!stol and sh*ot him in the head before fleeing. Despite warrants being issued for Gomes’s arrest, he remained at large, and the case was eventually archived when authorities were unable to locate him.
Determined to seek justice for her father, Gislayne, the eldest of five sisters, pursued a law degree, became a lawyer, and later joined the police force. By 2023, she transferred to the homic!de division specifically to focus on finding her father’s k!ller. The most recent arrest warrant for Gomes had been issued in 2019.
In September 2024, Gislayne and her team successfully tracked down and arrested Gomes in Boa Vista, Roraima state, in northern Brazil. At 36, Gislayne shared a video of her confrontation with Gomes, stating, “It’s because of me that you are here, and now you will pay.”
Gomes was sentenced to 12 years in prison, a penalty that had been imposed in his absence. Gislayne expressed, “With his arrest, I feel I have cleansed my soul and that of my entire family. Today, we have peace and a sense of justice fulfilled. His capture signifies not only the rectification of an injustice but also the power of perseverance in the pursuit of justice.” In an interview with Brazilian website G1, Gislayne admitted that she cried during their confrontation.
She said, “When I saw the man responsible for my dad’s death finally in handcuffs, I couldn’t hold back my tears. It was an overwhelming wave of emotions, turning into tears of relief, because it felt like this moment would never come.”
Paying tribute to her father, Gislayne described him as an “honest and hard-working man” who devoted his life to ensuring his daughters received a good education.
She reminisced, “He spent time helping us with our homework and teaching us the times tables. He was always there for us, so kind and caring.
Losing him was devastating, and my sisters and I went through incredibly difficult times. It could have easily derailed our lives, but our mother kept pushing us to stay strong and follow the right path.”