TJ intern, law student is victim of feminicide in the interior of SP

Law student Lívia Berthoud, 23 years old, was shot dead this Monday, 10th, in Pindamonhangaba, in the interior of São Paulo. According to witnesses and family members, the shooter was the victim's ex-boyfriend, a 25-year-old man, who was subsequently arrested on suspicion of feminicide. The report did not find the suspect's defense.

According to the Public Security Secretariat (SSP-SP), Lívia was found on Rua São Sebastião, in the Vila Santa Teresinha neighborhood, with injuries caused by gunshots. The Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu) was called and confirmed the death at the scene.

Afterwards, police officers found the ex-boyfriend at his home, with “apparent injuries” caused by gunshots, and a 38-caliber revolver. He was arrested in the act, but had to be hospitalized and, until the last update, remained hospitalized under police escort. The suspect's weapon and vehicle were seized.

According to the g1 portal, Lívia already had an urgent protective measure against him because of other episodes of violence committed by the suspect.

The case was registered at the Pindamonhangaba Police Station as feminicide and vehicle location/seizure. Lívia's body was sent to the Legal Medical Institute (IML).

Lívia was a Law student at the University of Taubaté (Unitau) and was in the tenth semester of the course. She entered in 2023 and was expected to graduate at the end of this year. On one of his social networks, he reported that he had been doing an internship at the São Paulo Court of Justice since the beginning of last year.

In a statement, Unitau expressed “deep regret for the early and brutal death of student Lívia Berthoud, from the 10th semester of the Law course, victim of feminicide” and said it repudiates “all forms of violence”.

Lívia's murder occurred on the same day that the university promotes the 46th Legal Week, which will debate the 20th anniversary of the Maria da Penha Law and the fight against violence against women.

"The painful coincidence reinforces the urgency of a discussion that goes beyond academic spaces and requires the commitment of the entire society. Lívia's memory will be present in this week's debates", added Unitau.

Other entities linked to the institution, such as Atlética from the Law course, also paid tribute to the victim through notes published on the internet.

“In this moment of deep sadness, we express our most sincere condolences to his family, his friends, his college classmates and everyone who had the opportunity to share his journey and his life”, says the statement.

“May respect, affection and acceptance prevail for those who suffer this loss at this time. May his memory always be remembered with affection and respect", continued one of the statements.

Escalation of cases in the country

Brazil recorded a new increase in femicides in 2025. There were 1,571 cases over the last year, 4% more than in 2024, when 1,504 incidents were recorded in the period. The data comes from the 20th edition of the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, released this Thursday, 23rd, by the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP).

This is the fourth consecutive year of an increase in cases in the country, according to the forum. With the exception of 2021, when the number of femicides fell by 0.6% compared to 2020, the murder of women because they are women has remained on a constant rise since 2016, when the country totaled 929 cases, one year after the crime was classified. After a decade, the number of incidents increased by 69.1%.

FBSP researchers draw attention to the fact that femicides are mostly committed by partners or ex-partners of the victims, totaling 79.8%, or eight out of every 10 records.

Experts point out that feminicide is the final consequence of other crimes that precede it and which also increased compared to last year. These are cases of persecution (increase of 30.1%), psychological violence (+16.9%), non-compliance with protective measures (+16.7%), threats (+0.5%), which totaled 788,531 cases in absolute numbers, and intentional bodily injuries in the context of domestic violence (+2.6%).

In absolute numbers of femicides, São Paulo leads the statistics, with 270 cases, an increase of 6.4%, and a rate of 1.1 per 100 thousand women. The list continues with Minas Gerais, with 117 cases, a drop of 4.4%, and a rate of 1.6 per 100 thousand women; Rio de Janeiro, with 105 cases, a drop of 1.9%, and a rate of 1.2 per 100 thousand women; and Bahia, where 102 incidents were recorded, a drop of 7.4% compared to 2024, and a rate of 1.3 femicides per 100,000 women.

Young woman is found dead wrapped in blankets; boyfriend confesses to rear naked choke

Joviana Evelyn Iankovski was located inside a locked room in her boyfriend's house, in Sangão. José Gustavo Rabelo, 21, was arrested after presenting himself to the police and admitting the attack, but forensics are still investigating the cause of death.