A lawyer has been jailed for 26 years after fatally poisoning his client with an illegal pesticide in order to steal his money.

The case unfolded in Fortaleza, the capital city of the northeastern Brazilian state of Ceara, where Victor Henrique da Silva Ferreira Gomes was convicted on 8th May for murdering 51-year-old municipal guard Jose Gonçalves Fonseca.

According to the court, Gomes administered a lethal dose of a substance known locally as "chumbinho" to his client during a meeting in 2017, which led to Fonseca's rapid death.

Municipal Guard Jose Gonçalves Fonseca, 52, in undated photo. His killer, lawyer Victor Henrique da Silva Ferreira Gomes was sentenced to 26 years in jail in Fortaleza, Brazil, on 8 May, 2025, for poisoning him. Note: Picture is taken from local media. (Newsflash/NX)

Forensic toxicologists confirmed the presence of terbufos, a highly toxic organophosphate pesticide banned in Brazil but still sold illegally under the name "chumbinho."

Although the name translates to "little lead," chumbinho contains no lead and is instead a powerful rodenticide that can cause acute respiratory failure and death within hours.

Gomes was reportedly managing financial affairs for Fonseca, and prosecutors said the motive was to gain access to his funds.

Fonseca had entrusted his life savings to Gomes, and that large sums were withdrawn from his accounts in the days following his death.

During the trial, the defence argued that the poisoning could have been accidental, but expert testimony refuted that possibility due to the dosage and manner of administration.

Gomes was sentenced to 26 years and eight months in prison for aggravated murder and fraud.

The verdict was delivered at the Criminal Forum of Fortaleza and followed several delays in the trial process since charges were first brought against Gomes.

(MJ Leidig/newsX)