António Luís Costa
Encyclopedia
António Luís Costa is an ex-GNR
soldier and serial killer
from Santa Comba Dão
, Portugal
. He was convicted in 2007 for the murders of three young women between May 2005 and May 2006.
body was found in June 2006. The third and last victim was Joana Oliveira, who went missing on May 8, 2006; her body was recovered from under a bridge based on directions given by Costa. According to Costa, after he had consensual sexual relations with the first victim and asked for a kiss from the second and third victims, he suffocated them when they threatened to tell.
(PJ) on June 24, 2006. At first, he confessed the crimes, both to the police and to the judge conducting the preliminary investigation. He later withdrew his confession and accused an uncle of Lourenço for the crimes. He claimed police coerced him into confessing, an accusation refuted by the PJ. Costa's telephone was tapped
, and he was recorded confessing the crimes to his family.
The Ministério Público asked for a sentence of 25 years in prison, the maximum allowed under Portuguese law, and said the only reason they did not ask for more is because it is not possible. The prosecution said Costa acted on a sexual impulse and that from the start, he tried to be considered insane as a means of escaping trial; however, two psychiatric examinations found Costa to be sane enough to stand trial.
The defense said psychiatric examinations found no psychopathy
and no promiscuous sexual behaviour. In addition, the defense claimed the rights of the defendant were not respected because he was treated as a guilty psychopathic serial killer. The defense said the testimony given by witnesses may not be reliable because of inconsistencies and discussion of the case among witnesses. The police investigation was criticized by the defense, which claimed some persons were not investigated enough.
On July 31, 2007, the court found Costa guilty of all charges except for the crime of hiding Isidoro's body, since she was still alive when she was thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. Costa was sentenced to 64.5 years in prison, reduced to 25 years, the maximum penalty under Portuguese law. His defense announced they will appeal the conviction.
Portuguese National Republican Guard
The Portuguese National Republican Guard is the gendarmerie of Portugal. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the agents of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation...
soldier and serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
from Santa Comba Dão
Santa Comba Dão
Santa Comba Dão is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 112.0 km² and a total municipal population of 12,393 inhabitants...
, Portugal
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...
. He was convicted in 2007 for the murders of three young women between May 2005 and May 2006.
Murders
Costa's first victim was Isabel Cristina Isidoro, who went missing on May 24, 2005; her body was recovered from the ocean on May 31, 2005. Mariana Lourenço went missing on October 14, 2005, and her mutilatedMutilation
Mutilation or maiming is an act of physical injury that degrades the appearance or function of any living body, usually without causing death.- Usage :...
body was found in June 2006. The third and last victim was Joana Oliveira, who went missing on May 8, 2006; her body was recovered from under a bridge based on directions given by Costa. According to Costa, after he had consensual sexual relations with the first victim and asked for a kiss from the second and third victims, he suffocated them when they threatened to tell.
Arrest and confession
Costa was arrested 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...
(PJ) on June 24, 2006. At first, he confessed the crimes, both to the police and to the judge conducting the preliminary investigation. He later withdrew his confession and accused an uncle of Lourenço for the crimes. He claimed police coerced him into confessing, an accusation refuted by the PJ. Costa's telephone was tapped
Telephone tapping
Telephone tapping is the monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line...
, and he was recorded confessing the crimes to his family.
Trial
Costa's trial began on July 4, 2007; he was charged with three murders, three crimes of hiding the body, one crime of profaning the body (for undressing a body), two crimes of attempting sexual coercion, and one crime of calumnious denunciation (for accusing Lourenço's uncle of the crimes). During the trial, Costa claimed his innocence and remained silent except for the first and last court sessions.The Ministério Público asked for a sentence of 25 years in prison, the maximum allowed under Portuguese law, and said the only reason they did not ask for more is because it is not possible. The prosecution said Costa acted on a sexual impulse and that from the start, he tried to be considered insane as a means of escaping trial; however, two psychiatric examinations found Costa to be sane enough to stand trial.
The defense said psychiatric examinations found no psychopathy
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
and no promiscuous sexual behaviour. In addition, the defense claimed the rights of the defendant were not respected because he was treated as a guilty psychopathic serial killer. The defense said the testimony given by witnesses may not be reliable because of inconsistencies and discussion of the case among witnesses. The police investigation was criticized by the defense, which claimed some persons were not investigated enough.
On July 31, 2007, the court found Costa guilty of all charges except for the crime of hiding Isidoro's body, since she was still alive when she was thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. Costa was sentenced to 64.5 years in prison, reduced to 25 years, the maximum penalty under Portuguese law. His defense announced they will appeal the conviction.