Man who cut off wife’s head is not guilty of murder
»»Killer unanimously acquitted by jury for ‘reason of insanity’ »»Brazilian, 35, will be held at Central Mental Hospital
A MAN who cut his wife’s head off while suffering from a cannabisinduced psychosis, was yesterday found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.
Diego Costa Silva, 35, whose family has not been present during the trial, cried as the verdict was read out.
He will be taken to the Central Mental Hospital to be assessed before returning to court on March 22 when a psychiatrist will report on his current mental condition.
His trial heard that, after noting he was displaying a paranoid belief that his wife Fabiola De Campos Silva, who was 33, might hurt him, doctors at the Mater Hospital asked him to remain as a voluntary patient but he left the day before the killing.
The court also heard the Brazilian national had confessed to his wife that he had been unfaithful to her.
The killer told gardai how he used four knives and took about 10 minutes to remove her head.
Costa Silva denied he murdered Fabiola on November 4, 2021, at their home in Finglas, North Dublin.
His trial heard that due to his mental disorder, he believed his wife was possessed by a serpent and she would kill him.
After he a struck her on the head with a mug, he strangled, stabbed and decapitated her to make sure “the serpent” was dead.
Two forensic consultant psychiatrists testified Costa Silva was suffering from cannabisinduced psychosis with symptoms including paranoia, delusions and auditory hallucinations.
They said he did not know the nature of his actions or what he was doing was wrong.
Defence and prosecution counsel told the jury Costa Silva was not legally responsible for his actions and qualified for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
They took two hours and 24 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict.
Mr Justice Michael Macgrath thanked the jury and exempted them from further service for life. He said the victim in this case was a young woman who had her life in front of her. “That life was cut short in a horrific manner by the actions of the defendant,” he said.
“There is little the court can say to ease the great trauma, loss and shock that Ms De Campos Silva’s family must have endured and continue to endure as a result of the
Sometimes you have to behead someone if the person is possessed DIEGO COSTA SILVA DURING GARDA INTERVIEW
That life was cut short in a horrific manner by the defendant
MR JUSTICE MICHAEL MACGRATH YESTERDAY
loss of their daughter. I can only extend my condolences to her family and friends for such a tragic loss.”
During the trial at the Central Criminal Court, Garda Colin Miley testified he saw Costa Silva running barefoot, wearing only shorts on Middle Abbey Street in Dublin.
He found him to be distressed and disorientated.
When asked if he was “OK”, Mr Costa Silva said he was upset and depressed following an argument with his wife. He told the officer he had confessed he had cheated on her and he suspected his wife was having an affair or affairs as revenge.
Gda Miley had a concern over Costa Silva’s mental health and detained him under section 12 of the Mental Health Act to be examined by a doctor.
Doctors noted he was displaying the early signs of a psychotic episode.
They asked Costa Silva to remain as a voluntary patient but he left the hospital the following day, November 3. His wife drove him home.
In his garda interviews, Costa Silva said he had a “fight” with his wife at about 6am. He said he wasn’t feeling safe and told detectives he has “hurt on my mind, a sound or vibration in my ear and a voice in my head”.
When gardai put it to him that his wife did not try to kill him, he replied her behaviour “led me to believe she was going to try to kill me”. He described his wife biting him on the leg and scratching his shoulder with her nails before he struck her on the head two or three times with a cup.
He said he then began choking her before putting his foot on her neck.
She fainted, he said, and he stabbed her “in her heart” before cutting off her head.
He added: “I took her head, I took a knife and I cut her head.”
When asked why, he said: “How can I explain? Sometimes you have to behead somebody because this person is possessed.”