Joana Isabel Cipriano (born 31 May 1996) was a Portuguese child who disappeared on 12 August 2004 from Figueira, a village near Portimão in Portugal's Algarve region. An investigation by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), Portugal's criminal police, concluded that she had been murdered by her mother, Leonor Cipriano, and her uncle, João Cipriano, after witnessing them engaged in incestuous sex. Joana's body was never found; there is no tangible evidence she is dead.[1]
Joana Cipriano
Born
Joana Isabel Cipriano
(1996-05-31)31 May 1996
Disappeared
12 August 2004 (aged 8) , but known to have been murdered Figueira, Algarve, Portugal
Leonor Cipriano (mother), João Cipriano (maternal uncle)
Joana's mother and uncle confessed to police in October 2004; her uncle said he had cut the girl's body into pieces before disposing of it by throwing it into a nearby pigsty.[2] Her mother withdrew her confession the day after signing it, alleging that she had been beaten during a 48-hour-long interrogation. Police officers accounted for the bruising on the mother's face and body by maintaining that she had thrown herself down some stairs in the police station in an effort to commit suicide. Both the mother and uncle were convicted of murder and sentenced to sixteen years in jail.[3] It was the first murder trial in Portuguese legal history to take place without the discovery of a body.[4]
Five officers were charged with a variety of offences as a result of the allegations of assault; three were acquitted.[5] One of the two officers who was convicted, Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral, led the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a British girl who went missing in May 2007 from the nearby resort town of Praia da Luz. Amaral was not present during the alleged assault, but was accused of having covered up for other officers; he was convicted of having falsified police documents in the case and received an eighteen-month suspended sentence.[6]
Several similarities between the Cipriano and McCann cases—both girls vanished without trace within eleven kilometers (seven miles) and less than three years of each other, both cases had officers who failed to secure the crime scene, both mothers mounted campaigns to find their daughters and both women were accused of involvement—prompted Cipriano's family to appeal in 2008 for police to investigate whether there was a link between the disappearances.[4]
Joana Cipriano, aged eight, was last seen at around 8:00pm on 12 August 2004 after being sent to buy milk and a tin of tuna from a local store. A neighbour saw her around 200 meters from her house, walking back from the store. Her mother, Leonor Cipriano, launched a local campaign to find her daughter, distributing posters around the neighbourhood.[4]
The prosecution argued that Joana was murdered because she had seen her mother and her uncle, João Cipriano, having sex. Leonor confessed to killing her daughter after nearly 48 hours of continuous interrogation; João confessed to having assaulted Joana, and said he had cut her body into small pieces and placed her inside a refrigerator, before disposing of it by throwing it into a nearby pigsty.[2] When asked if he had sexually abused Joana, he said, "I did not harm her - I only killed her."[7]
In 2019, Leonor was released from prison after serving five sixths of her sentence.[8]
ControversyEdit
Allegations of police misconductEdit
Leonor retracted her confession the day after making it, claiming she had been beaten during her interrogation. She suffered extensive bruising to her face and body, which the police said was caused by her throwing herself down a stairwell in the police station in an effort to kill herself. Five officers, including Gonçalo Amaral, head of the regional Polícia Judiciária (PJ) in Portimão at the time, were charged with a number of offences. The indictment alleged that several of them had kicked Leonor, hit her with a cardboard tube, put a plastic bag over her head, and made her kneel on glass ashtrays.[4]
Three officers–Leonel Marques, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão and Paulo Marques Bom–were acquitted of torture.[9] Amaral was not present at the time of the alleged beating but was accused of having covered up for the other officers, which he denied.[10] He was convicted of perjury in May 2009 for having falsified documents in the case, and received an eighteen-month suspended sentence.[6] Another officer, António Nunes Cardoso, was also found guilty of having falsified documents and received a 2+1⁄2-year suspended sentence.[9]
Comparison to McCann caseEdit
The village of Figueira is only eleven kilometers from Praia da Luz, where Madeleine McCann disappeared on 3 May 2007.[11] In both cases the mothers launched campaigns to find their daughters and in both cases the local PJ investigated the possibility that the mothers had killed their daughters.[3]
A child protection specialist, Mark Williams-Thomas, who believes that Joana's and Madeleine's disappearances are related, said that the disappearance of two children unknown to each other within a seven-mile radius over a period of four years would be a huge coincidence, especially considering that Portugal is a small country with few abductions.[11] Before Joana's disappearance, the previous first-degree murder of a child in the Algarve region was in November 1990 and involved a British girl, nine-year-old Rachel Charles, who was abducted and murdered in Albufeira. Her body was found three days later; a British mechanic and friend of the family, Michael Cook, was arrested and convicted.[12] Leandro Silva, Leonor's common-law husband, said in 2007 that "the only difference between the McCanns and us is that we don't have money."[13]
^Hamilos, Paul; de Beer, Brendan (3 October 2007). "Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UK police". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
^ ab. The Portugal News. 14 May 2005. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
^ abGovan, Fiona (28 May 2007). "The detectives working as the world watches". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
Collins, Danny (2008). Vanished: The Truth about the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann. John Blake Publishing. ISBN978-1844546145. (Note: paperback edition).
^Govan, Fiona (28 May 2007). "The detectives working as the world watches". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
Gammell, Caroline (17 September 2007). "Detective accused in case of missing girl". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
Antezana, Fabiola (26 September 2007). "Detective in McCann Case Investigated For Beating Convicted Child Murderer". ABC News. New York City. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
^ ab. The Guardian. London. Press Association. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2017 – via Truth be Told.
^Marques, Sara (5 September 2007). "'Eu não lhe fiz mal, só a matei'" [I did not harm her, I only killed her]. IOLDiário (in Portuguese). Lisbon. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2017 – via Arquivo da Web Portuguesa.
^"Mother jailed for killing 'tragic Joana' released "to get on with life"". Portugal Resident. Lisbon. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
^ ab"Maddy police chief falsified evidence". The Olive Press. San Luis de Sabinillas, Malaga, Spain. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
^Hamilos, Paul; de Beer, Brendan (3 October 2007). "Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UK police". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
"Ex-chief of Maddy McCann case 'in cover-up'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
^ abWatts, Alex (14 September 2007). . Sky News. London. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2017 – via Internet ArchiveWayback Machine.
^Tweedie, Neil; Edwards, Richard (12 May 2007). "Have police failed Madeleine?". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
On 19 June 1996 a six-year-old German child, Renè Hasèe, also disappeared, from the Amoreira beach near Aljezur while walking a few metres ahead of his parents; see The Doe Network: Case File 2075DMPRT 2008-05-08 at the Wayback Machine and "Rene Hasee vermisst seit dem 19.Juni 1996"[dead link].
^Antezana, Fabiola (26 September 2007). "Detective in McCann Case Investigated For Beating Convicted Child Murderer". ABC News. New York City. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
October 21, 2023
murder, joana, cipriano, joana, isabel, cipriano, born, 1996, portuguese, child, disappeared, august, 2004, from, figueira, village, near, portimão, portugal, algarve, region, investigation, polícia, judiciária, portugal, criminal, police, concluded, that, bee. Joana Isabel Cipriano born 31 May 1996 was a Portuguese child who disappeared on 12 August 2004 from Figueira a village near Portimao in Portugal s Algarve region An investigation by the Policia Judiciaria PJ Portugal s criminal police concluded that she had been murdered by her mother Leonor Cipriano and her uncle Joao Cipriano after witnessing them engaged in incestuous sex Joana s body was never found there is no tangible evidence she is dead 1 Joana CiprianoBornJoana Isabel Cipriano 1996 05 31 31 May 1996Disappeared12 August 2004 aged 8 but known to have been murderedFigueira Algarve PortugalStatusMissing for 19 years 2 months and 2 daysNationalityPortugueseParentLeonor Cipriano mother Investigating forcePolicia Judiciaria PortimaoChargeMurderConvictedLeonor Cipriano mother Joao Cipriano maternal uncle Joana s mother and uncle confessed to police in October 2004 her uncle said he had cut the girl s body into pieces before disposing of it by throwing it into a nearby pigsty 2 Her mother withdrew her confession the day after signing it alleging that she had been beaten during a 48 hour long interrogation Police officers accounted for the bruising on the mother s face and body by maintaining that she had thrown herself down some stairs in the police station in an effort to commit suicide Both the mother and uncle were convicted of murder and sentenced to sixteen years in jail 3 It was the first murder trial in Portuguese legal history to take place without the discovery of a body 4 Five officers were charged with a variety of offences as a result of the allegations of assault three were acquitted 5 One of the two officers who was convicted Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral led the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann a British girl who went missing in May 2007 from the nearby resort town of Praia da Luz Amaral was not present during the alleged assault but was accused of having covered up for other officers he was convicted of having falsified police documents in the case and received an eighteen month suspended sentence 6 Several similarities between the Cipriano and McCann cases both girls vanished without trace within eleven kilometers seven miles and less than three years of each other both cases had officers who failed to secure the crime scene both mothers mounted campaigns to find their daughters and both women were accused of involvement prompted Cipriano s family to appeal in 2008 for police to investigate whether there was a link between the disappearances 4 Contents 1 Disappearance and charges 2 Controversy 2 1 Allegations of police misconduct 2 2 Comparison to McCann case 3 See also 4 NotesDisappearance and charges EditJoana Cipriano aged eight was last seen at around 8 00pm on 12 August 2004 after being sent to buy milk and a tin of tuna from a local store A neighbour saw her around 200 meters from her house walking back from the store Her mother Leonor Cipriano launched a local campaign to find her daughter distributing posters around the neighbourhood 4 The prosecution argued that Joana was murdered because she had seen her mother and her uncle Joao Cipriano having sex Leonor confessed to killing her daughter after nearly 48 hours of continuous interrogation Joao confessed to having assaulted Joana and said he had cut her body into small pieces and placed her inside a refrigerator before disposing of it by throwing it into a nearby pigsty 2 When asked if he had sexually abused Joana he said I did not harm her I only killed her 7 In 2019 Leonor was released from prison after serving five sixths of her sentence 8 Controversy EditAllegations of police misconduct Edit Leonor retracted her confession the day after making it claiming she had been beaten during her interrogation She suffered extensive bruising to her face and body which the police said was caused by her throwing herself down a stairwell in the police station in an effort to kill herself Five officers including Goncalo Amaral head of the regional Policia Judiciaria PJ in Portimao at the time were charged with a number of offences The indictment alleged that several of them had kicked Leonor hit her with a cardboard tube put a plastic bag over her head and made her kneel on glass ashtrays 4 Three officers Leonel Marques Paulo Pereira Cristovao and Paulo Marques Bom were acquitted of torture 9 Amaral was not present at the time of the alleged beating but was accused of having covered up for the other officers which he denied 10 He was convicted of perjury in May 2009 for having falsified documents in the case and received an eighteen month suspended sentence 6 Another officer Antonio Nunes Cardoso was also found guilty of having falsified documents and received a 2 1 2 year suspended sentence 9 Comparison to McCann case Edit The village of Figueira is only eleven kilometers from Praia da Luz where Madeleine McCann disappeared on 3 May 2007 11 In both cases the mothers launched campaigns to find their daughters and in both cases the local PJ investigated the possibility that the mothers had killed their daughters 3 A child protection specialist Mark Williams Thomas who believes that Joana s and Madeleine s disappearances are related said that the disappearance of two children unknown to each other within a seven mile radius over a period of four years would be a huge coincidence especially considering that Portugal is a small country with few abductions 11 Before Joana s disappearance the previous first degree murder of a child in the Algarve region was in November 1990 and involved a British girl nine year old Rachel Charles who was abducted and murdered in Albufeira Her body was found three days later a British mechanic and friend of the family Michael Cook was arrested and convicted 12 Leandro Silva Leonor s common law husband said in 2007 that the only difference between the McCanns and us is that we don t have money 13 See also Edit nbsp Law portal nbsp Portugal portalCrime in Portugal List of murder convictions without a body List of solved missing person casesNotes Edit Hamilos Paul de Beer Brendan 3 October 2007 Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UK police The Guardian London Retrieved 14 October 2017 a b Prosecution unveils horror of girl s death The Portugal News 14 May 2005 Archived from the original on 14 October 2017 Retrieved 14 October 2017 a b Govan Fiona 28 May 2007 The detectives working as the world watches The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 14 October 2017 Collins Danny 2008 Vanished The Truth about the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann John Blake Publishing ISBN 978 1844546145 Note paperback edition a b c d Watts Alex 12 May 2008 Disturbing Similarities With Madeleine Sky News London Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved October 14 2017 via Internet Archive Wayback Machine Govan Fiona 28 May 2007 The detectives working as the world watches The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 14 October 2017 Gammell Caroline 17 September 2007 Detective accused in case of missing girl The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 14 October 2017 Antezana Fabiola 26 September 2007 Detective in McCann Case Investigated For Beating Convicted Child Murderer ABC News New York City Retrieved 14 October 2017 a b McCann detective guilty of perjury The Guardian London Press Association 22 May 2009 Archived from the original on 11 June 2015 Retrieved October 14 2017 via Truth be Told Marques Sara 5 September 2007 Eu nao lhe fiz mal so a matei I did not harm her I only killed her IOLDiario in Portuguese Lisbon Archived from the original on 9 May 2015 Retrieved 14 October 2017 via Arquivo da Web Portuguesa Mother jailed for killing tragic Joana released to get on with life Portugal Resident Lisbon 7 February 2019 Retrieved 1 August 2019 a b Maddy police chief falsified evidence The Olive Press San Luis de Sabinillas Malaga Spain 2 June 2009 Retrieved 14 October 2017 Hamilos Paul de Beer Brendan 3 October 2007 Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UK police The Guardian London Retrieved 14 October 2017 Ex chief of Maddy McCann case in cover up The Daily Telegraph London 23 February 2008 Retrieved 14 October 2017 a b Watts Alex 14 September 2007 Girl s Case May Solve McCann Mystery Sky News London Archived from the original on 9 October 2007 Retrieved 14 October 2017 via Internet Archive Wayback Machine Tweedie Neil Edwards Richard 12 May 2007 Have police failed Madeleine The Daily Telegraph London Retrieved 14 October 2017 On 19 June 1996 a six year old German child Rene Hasee also disappeared from the Amoreira beach near Aljezur while walking a few metres ahead of his parents see The Doe Network Case File 2075DMPRT Archived 2008 05 08 at the Wayback Machine and Rene Hasee vermisst seit dem 19 Juni 1996 dead link Antezana Fabiola 26 September 2007 Detective in McCann Case Investigated For Beating Convicted Child Murderer ABC News New York City Retrieved 14 October 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Murder of Joana Cipriano amp oldid 1180063640, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
