Murder of Otávio Jordão da Silva

On 30 June 2013, da Silva was refereeing an amateur football match in Pio XII, Maranhão.^[5][6] He sent off player Josemir dos Santos Abreu, 31, who refused to leave the field and began a fight with the referee. Abreu threw a punch, which prompted da Silva to draw a knife from his pocket and repeatedly stab Abreu. Abreu died on the way to the hospital.^[3][7] When fans watching the game, including Abreu's friends and family, found out about his death,^[8] they invaded the pitch^[9] and stoned da Silva, before decapitating him, quartering him,^[10] and putting his head on a stake in the pitch.^{[3][11][12][13][14]} Police chief Valter Costa was quoted as saying "one crime will never justify another".^[3]

While some early reports referred to Otávio da Silva as a "referee" in an "amateur football match", later accounts and eyewitness testimonies suggest the game was informal and unsanctioned. The match took place in a rural area neighborhood setting with no official oversight and Da Silva was reportedly volunteering as a referee in this casual, local pickup game, which was not part of any organized league or sporting body.^[15]

"It is known that it was a typical pick-up game: the teams didn't have names and the referee was just a player who blew the whistle because he had injured his foot."^[16]

One suspect was arrested.^[4] However, police were searching for two more people,^[7] including Abreu's brother.^[17]

A graphic video later surfaced online shortly following the incident that shows medical personnel reassembling Otávio's body.^[18][19]

• List of unsolved murders (2000–present)