A forensic team from the Maranhão Civil Police and the State Official Forensic Department carried out an on-site examination at the residence where a woman lost her life following a brutal attack by her own pitbull dog. The inspection took place on Thursday, May 7th, nearly three weeks after the fatal incident.
The victim, identified as 49-year-old Maria José Mariano, was killed on the evening of April 13th inside her home located in the rural community of Cordeiro, in the municipality of Bacabal, in the interior of Maranhão state. According to investigators, she was bathing the dog at the time the animal turned on her.
Maria José's husband, 61-year-old Lourival Douglas Alves, was present during the forensic examination and provided his account to authorities. He told police that when he arrived home, he discovered his wife already deceased, having suffered severe injuries from the mauling. Fearing for his own safety due to the dog's continued aggression, the man locked himself in a room and called for help.
Responding to the emergency call, Military Police officers and firefighters arrived at the scene. Firefighters initially attempted to restrain the animal using specialized containment equipment, including a catch pole. However, the dog's large size and extreme aggression rendered those efforts unsuccessful. Given the imminent danger to the husband's life, a Military Police officer ultimately shot and killed the pitbull.
Forensic experts noted that the significant delay between the woman's death and the examination of the crime scene posed major challenges for evidence collection. Additionally, the home had undergone cleaning and modifications in the interim, further hindering the investigators' ability to gather physical traces and reconstruct the events.
During the inspection, agents documented all rooms of the residence through photographic and video recordings. The official forensic report is expected to be submitted to the Civil Police within ten days. The lead detective on the case has indicated plans to request an exhumation of the victim's body to aid in the investigation, though such an action would require judicial authorization from the Maranhão court system.
Neighbors reported that the pitbull, which had been adopted by the family as an adult approximately two years before the attack, had previously displayed aggressive tendencies. The couple had reportedly been warned about the potential risks posed by the animal. The husband himself had acknowledged prior episodes of the dog's aggressive behavior.
Based on reporting from g1.