Ana Paula Veloso Fernandes: Law student accused of poisoning murder spree

A glamorous former law student accused of a murder spree that left four people dead, allegedly kept her landlord’s decomposing body inside her home for five days.

Police say just days after moving in in January, Brazilian mother Ana Paula Veloso Fernandes, 36, poisoned a stew eaten by Marcelo Hari Fonseca, 65, after the pair argued.

She reportedly only called the police after maggots started crawling around the Guarulhos home and her son complained about the smell.

Police say Fernandes, who was arrested in July, confessed to Fonseca’s murder, believed to be her first, CNN Brasil reports.

She is now also linked to three other deaths carried out over the space of five months between January and May, with police claiming she used poison after first testing it on dogs to work out how to control the timing and dose to simulate death by natural causes.

Three bodies have now been exhumed as part of the police investigation.

Police have described Fernandes as “extremely manipulative” and say she was motivated by financial gain and revenge.

“Ana Paula takes pleasure in killing. Her motivation doesn’t really matter – she wants to kill,” Police chief Halisson Ideiao said, The Sun reported.

“Coldness, a lack of remorse and a clear pleasure, not only in committing the crime, but in remaining around it, in witnessing the impact of what she did”.

Police allege Fernandes was aided by her twin sister Roberta Cristina Veloso Fernandes who was arrested in August, and friend Michelle Paiva da Silva, 43, who is the daughter of one of the alleged victims. All three are in custody.

Her other alleged victims are Maria Aparecida Rodrigues, Neil Correa da Silva and Hayder Mhazres.

It is believed Rodrigues was in a romantic relationship with Fernandes after the pair met on a dating app in April. She died after having coffee and cake at the alleged killer’s home.

Police say Fernandes tried to frame her former boyfriend, a military police officer, for the murder.

It is alleged Neil Da Silva was killed on April 26 after eating poisoned feijoada, a Brazilian black bean stew.

Fernandes allegedly told police she poisoned the meal and the victim only ate “two spoons” of the dish.

Police claim Fernandes was hired to carry out the killing by the victim’s daughter, former college classmate Michele Paiva da Silva, who paid 4000 Brazilian real (A$1120).

Michelle Paiva da Silva, 43, has also been arrested over her father’s killing. Mr da Silva’s body was exhumed on October 9 to test for poisoning after police linked Fernandes to three other killings.

The final death in May was that of Hayder Mhazres, 21, with whom Fernandes was allegedly romantically involved.

Hayder’s family say Ana Paula falsely claimed to be pregnant with his child and that she approached them to ask for money.

Police say Fernandes confessed to killing 10 dogs with poison and during a search of her home found insecticide terbufos, which is similar to rat poison.

The investigation is ongoing.