Former Baptist actor and pastor Guilherme de Pádua died today at the age of 53 of a heart attack in the town of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The information was confirmed live by Pastor Márcio Valadão of Lagoinha Baptist Church.
“Just before 10:00 p.m. I received a call from a sister who was speaking about one of our pastors who had just passed away. For me it was a very big impact because I led the service this morning and he was sitting in the first pew with his wife “I committed this terrible crime with Daniela Perez, was arrested, served his sentence and converted. He was in the house, fell and died. He just died,” reported Márcio.
Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Guilherme de Pádua moved to Rio de Janeiro in the late 1980s where he pursued his dream of an artistic career.
In 1992, Pádua played the driver Bira in the soap opera De Corpo e Alma (TV Globo) and met Daniella Perez, daughter of the writer Gloria Perez. Finally, on New Year’s Eve, he shocked the country by killing the writer’s daughter.
“He had been with us for 15 years and his pastoral work consisted precisely in caring for other exprisoners,” the pastor added.
In 1992, a brutal crime shook Brazil. Daniella Perez, 22, daughter of playwright Gloria Perez, was stabbed to death on December 28 by actor Guilherme de Padua and his accomplice Paula Thomaz, who was pregnant with him at the time.
Guilherme found Daniella outside the studio where they were recording the soap opera. He followed the actress along with Paula Thomaz, the actor’s thenwife, who was hiding in the back seat of the car. When Daniella stopped at a gas station, she was ambushed: Guilherme hit the artist, who fell unconscious. The actress was placed in the back seat of the actor’s car, now with Paula at the wheel. Guilherme drove Daniella’s vehicle to a vacant lot in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro.
At the scene, the couple stabbed Daniella Perez more than 18 times. According to the forensic report, the lungs, heart and throat were hit.
A witness was surprised to see two cars parked in the vacant parking lot and took the precaution of noting down the number plates of the vehicles and warned the police that something could happen in the area. Authorities investigated the complaint and found Daniella’s car. During a tour of the site, a police officer found the actress’ body.
After a short time, the police arrived at Guilherme’s vehicle. At the time, the actor tampered with a letter on the sign, but was found anyway.
At first the killer denied the crime. He was taken to the police station on December 29. After the evidence was presented, Guilherme de Padua admitted his guilt. Upon analyzing the case, the police realized that Paula was also involved and on the 31st of the same month the arrests of the two were ordered. The trial took place five years later and both were convicted of aggravated manslaughter with awkward motives, the victim being unable to defend himself. Guilherme was sentenced to 19 years and Paula to 18 years and six months.
In May 1993, Paula gave birth to Felipe in prison. She and the actor split shortly after due to the different versions being presented as a defence. In most of them he blamed his wife for the crime.
Both were paroled after only seven years in prison.