Suvechha Sarkar
Ângela Maria Diniz was a 32-year-old Brazilian socialite and a loving mother of three. However, her life came to an abrupt halt in December 1976 in her rented house in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. What unfolded in the aftermath was a legal battle and a feminist movement that completely changed the future of such cases. HBO Max’s ‘Ângela Diniz: Murdered and Convicted’ revisits the case and the shocking circumstances leading up to the murder. It also focuses on how the case was widely covered by the media, sparked public outrage, and shifted cultural perspectives that reshaped its outcome.
Ângela Diniz Was Found Dead From Gunshot Wounds in Her Rented House
On November 10, 1944, Ângela Maria Diniz arrived as a beacon of light in the lives of her parents, Newton Viana and Maria do Fernandes Diniz. She was born and raised in Curvelo, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Although there is no public record of her early life, we do know that she got married at a very young age, around 17 or 18 years old. During that time, Ângela crossed paths with Milton Vilas Boas, and they tied the knot in the presence of their family and friends. Over the course of the next few years, they welcomed their three children, including Cristiana Vilas Boas, into the world.
Sadly, Ângela and Milton were unable to work out their relationship, which led to them parting ways after 9 years of marriage. According to reports, Milton was granted custody of their children, and she got the house in the divorce proceedings. Things changed shortly after in 1973, when the caretaker of her home, José Avelino dos Santos, was reportedly found dead from gunshot wounds at her residence. Although her then-boyfriend, Tuca Mendes, claimed that he shot José in self-defense, Ângela was unable to escape the constant attention from the media.
So, Ângela reportedly moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she rented her own beach house. The official records state that she eventually met Raul Fernando do Amaral Street, AKA Doca Street, and it wasn’t too long before they began dating. Everything seemed to be going well until her life turned upside down on December 30, 1976. Officials were notified on that fateful day that Ângela was brutally shot in her beach house. When they arrived at the scene, they found her dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The autopsy reportedly revealed that she was shot a total of four times at point-blank range.
The Killer’s Confession and Witness Testimonies Shed Light on the Murder
When the investigation into Ângela’s murder first began, officials learned about her divorce from Milton. According to records, the scrutiny once again fell on the murder case of José. During that time, Ângela had initially taken the blame on herself to save her boyfriend, Tuca. It turned out that she wanted to hide Tuca’s identity because he was reportedly a married man. They also learned that back in late 1974, Milton had accused her of kidnapping a minor. Reports allege that it was regarding an incident where she visited her children in Minas and brought her daughter, Cristiana, back to Rio de Janeiro with her. She allegedly did that without informing Milton.
After the incident, Ângela once again faced a predicament when an anonymous tip came in for the detectives. The tip informed them that she had drugs at her home. When around 100 grams of marijuana were uncovered from her beach house and an arrest seemed imminent, she allegedly admitted that she was “addicted to drugs” to avoid the situation. Further investigation revealed that at the time of her death, Ângela was dating Doca. He was reportedly married and had even moved in with her. In December 1976, he and Ângela rented a home in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, together. Investigators found out that Doca was allegedly abusive towards Ângela.
According to court records, some witness testimonies claimed that Ângela and Doca frequently got into major fights with each other. Considering all the information, law enforcement wanted to question Doca. However, they discovered that he was nowhere to be found. In January 1977, around a month after being on a run, he finally turned himself in and confessed to killing Ângela. According to his statements, he and Ângela got into a heated argument on December 30 because she had allegedly tried to end their relationship. He claimed that he was unable to accept her decision. So, he took his Beretta pistol, allegedly in a fit of rage, and shot her. Ultimately, Doca was arrested and charged with the murder of Ângela and one count of evading justice.
Doca Street Passed Away From a Cardiac Arrest at the Age of 86
The first jury trial of Doca Street began in 1979 in Cabo Frio. During the trial, the prosecution presented several witnesses before the court, who testified about the relationship between Ângela and Doca, which was allegedly marked by domestic violence and Doca’s jealousy. According to court records, they also emphasized his confession to the killing. On the other hand, the defense raised questions on the character of Ângela and alleged that she was responsible for the murder due to her inappropriate behavior. They claimed that she was unfaithful during their relationship, which allegedly provoked Doca. Additionally, the defense argued that Doca had acted in defense of honor.
According to the defense of honor claim, the killer’s act was deemed justifiable as a means of protecting their honor. Ultimately, Doca was found guilty of murder by a jury vote of five to one. He received a sentence of 18 months for the murder and a 6-month term for evading the justice system. Since Doca had already served one-third of the sentence by that time, he was reportedly granted probation. Hence, he walked away as a free man after the trial. However, things took a turn as the judgment sparked a feminist movement with the main slogan “Those who love don’t kill.” His first verdict was then overturned, and he faced a second jury trial in 1981. During that time, Doca was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Official reports state that Doca served three years of his sentence in closed confinement and the following two years in semi-closed confinement. He was eventually granted parole in 1987. After his release, Doca spoke out about his side of the story in his book, ‘Mea Culpa,’ which was released in 2006. However, Ângela’s daughter strongly raised her voice against it, stating, “That man is a sc***drel. He’s trying to make money at my mother’s expense. My God, when will he get tired of murdering her and ruining her reputation?” On December 18, 2020, Doca passed away at the age of 86 in Samaritano Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.
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