The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) has ruled that the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT) will be responsible for judging the feminicide case of Brazilian Army Corporal Maria de Lourdes Freire Matos.
The decision was made during a session on April 8, 2026, following a jurisdictional conflict between the TJDFT and the Military Justice.
The crime occurred in December 2025, when Corporal Matos was murdered by former soldier Kelvin Barros da Silva inside the 1st Cavalry Guards Regiment in Brasília.
The STJ’s decision established that the Military Justice should be limited to judging crimes directly related to military administration and assets.
The case’s rapporteur, Minister Ribeiro Dantas, argued that the feminicide was not linked to military activities, as it is an intentional crime against life, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Jury Court.
He highlighted the complexity of the case, which involves different types of criminal offenses—some of a military nature and others of a civil character—requiring the separation of judicial competencies.
The STJ’s judgment was not unanimous. Minister Joel Paciornik presented a dissenting opinion, arguing that the Military Justice could judge the case in its entirety, based on the Military Penal Code, which provides for the analysis of intentional crimes against life in military contexts.
Nevertheless, the majority of ministers, including Rogério Schietti, followed the rapporteur’s understanding, reinforcing that Maria de Lourdes’s death was not related to her military duties but to her condition as a woman, which characterizes feminicide and justifies the TJDFT’s jurisdiction.
The final vote resulted in a decision favorable to the TJDFT for the feminicide trial, while crimes directly impacting military administration and assets will remain under the Military Justice’s purview.
Until the decision is fully implemented, procedural acts in the involved courts will be suspended to ensure there is no overlap or conflict in proceedings.
The outcome sets an important precedent regarding the delineation of competencies between common and military justice in cases of serious crimes with multiple natures.
For more information on the unfolding of this case, follow the complete coverage on the Metrópoles portal, which provided exclusive details on the judicial decision.
The case reignites the debate on the role of Military Justice in crimes that go beyond the strictly military scope, especially when they involve violations of fundamental rights such as feminicide.
The STJ’s decision may influence future similar judgments, establishing a benchmark in the separation of competencies and ensuring that crimes against life are treated with due seriousness within the Jury Court’s scope.
Women’s rights organizations are closely monitoring the process, demanding justice for Maria de Lourdes Freire Matos and reinforcing the fight against gender-based violence.
Original published at O Cafezinho.