Death of inmate in Ponta Grossa was not suicide, investigation points; family demands justice
Death of inmate in Ponta Grossa was homicide, according to investigation. MP accused another detainee, and family seeks accountability from the State.
The death of Patrick Carlos Rodrigues, 33, found lifeless inside a cell of the Penitenciária Estadual de Ponta Grossa II (PEPG II), has gained new unfolding. According to the family’s lawyer, Gustavo Madureira, the Civil Police investigation concluded that the detainee was a victim of murder, ruling out the possibility of suicide. The Public Prosecutor's Office of Paraná (MPPR) filed a complaint against another prisoner, identified as Leandro de Oliveira, accused of causing death by hanging.
The case occurred on August 28, 2026, in the prison unit located in the region of Colonia Dona Luiza, in Ponta Grossa. Initially, the circumstances of the death had not been publicly clarified. With the progress of the investigations, the elements gathered by the Civil Police based the criminal complaint submitted to the Justice.
The lawyer Gustavo Madureira, who represents the relatives alongside the lawyer Matheus de Quadros, released a statement on the progress of the case and the measures that are being adopted.
"After an extensive investigation, the Civil Police found that it was not a suicide, but a murder," Madureira said.
According to the lawyer, the evidence was forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which filed the complaint, later received by the Court.
Public Prosecutor says victim was killed while sleeping
According to the complaint filed by the 10th District Attorney’s Office of Ponta Grossa, the crime allegedly occurred around 3.30am on August 28, inside a cell located in the fourth gallery of the penitentiary.
The document, signed by prosecutor Esdras Soares Vilas Boas Ribeiro, points out that Leandro de Oliveira approached Patrick while he slept and used a sheet to cause his death by asphyxiation.
According to the indictment, Patrick was under the effect of medication at the time of the assault, a circumstance that would have reduced his ability to react.
For this reason, the Public Prosecutor’s Office denounced Leandro for qualified homicide by the use of recourse that hindered the defense of the victim, in accordance with article 121, paragraph 2, subparagraph IV, of the Criminal Code.
The document was attached to the process on September 11, 2026. According to the autos, the accused has been in pre-trial detention since August 29.
The complaint has already been received by the Justice, as informed by the family lawyer. Receipt, however, does not represent conviction, and the accused has the right to wide-ranging defense and contradiction.
The family also wants to take responsibility for the state.
In addition to the criminal liability of the accused, Patrick’s relatives seek to ascertain the responsibility of the State for the death that occurred within the prison system.
In his address, Gustavo Madureira stressed that the prison administration has a duty to guarantee the physical integrity of the people in his custody.
"This defense seeks, first of all, justice, criminally holding the defendant Leandro de Oliveira accountable, as well as this defense seeks to hold the State accountable, and it is the duty of the prison unit to protect and cherish the safety of its prisoners," he said.
The demonstration of the lawyers puts into question the security conditions offered to the detainee within the prison unit.
The possible civil liability of the State should be examined by the competent bodies, taking into account the circumstances of the death and the duties of protection of persons deprived of their liberty.
Public Prosecutor asks for a minimum repair of R $ 200,000
Another relevant point of the complaint is the request for financial reparation to the relatives of Patrick Carlos Rodrigues.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested the establishment of a minimum amount of R$ 200,000, considering the patrimonial, psychological and moral damages related to death.
The request is based on article 387, paragraph IV, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows to establish a minimum amount of reparation for the damage caused by the criminal offence.
It is important to note that the value does not yet represent compensation granted by the Court. The application should be examined during the process.
In the documentation presented, the Public Prosecutor’s Office also requested the urgent request of the reports of necropsy and examination of the crime site to Instituto Médico Legal and the Institute of Criminalistics.
Remember the case of Patrick Carlos Rodrigues
Patrick Carlos Rodrigues was a native of Ponta Grossa and worked as an electrical assistant.
As reported by Portal BnT Online on August 30, the man was found dead in a cell of Penitenciária Estadual de Ponta Grossa II on the morning of the 28th of that month.
In the first report, the cause of death had not yet been officially disclosed. The identification of the victim was confirmed from information from Serviço Funerário Municipal.
Patrick was buried on August 29 at Paula Cemetery São Vicente in Ponta Grossa.
With the conclusion of the police investigation and the presentation of the complaint by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the case was treated as homicide. Now, the family awaits the progress of the criminal process and seeks clarification on the responsibility of the public power for the security of the detainee.
The case is filed in the 1st Criminal Court of Ponta Grossa, under the number 0029939-39.2026.8.16.0019.
Until the closure of this report, there had not been presented to the newsroom a demonstration of the defense of Leandro de Oliveira or updated position of the Criminal Police of Paraná on the allegations of state responsibility. The space remains open for clarification.
