He was convicted of 71 murders and claimed more than 100. He spent 34 years in prison — then, after his release, was shot to death himself.
Early Life
Pedro Rodrigues Filho was born on a farm in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, in Brazil's Minas Gerais state. He later said his father had assaulted his pregnant mother before his birth, causing a head injury. At 14, after his father lost his job over allegations of theft, Rodrigues shot the local deputy mayor and a security guard he believed was responsible for the allegations, using his grandfather's shotgun.
A Killing Spree Begins
Fleeing to greater São Paulo, Rodrigues began robbing and killing drug traffickers, earning media attention as a vigilante figure. After his girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, was killed by a rival gang leader, he tracked down and killed every member of that rival group. He also killed his own father, whom he blamed for his mother's murder years earlier, during a prison visit.
Decades Behind Bars
Rodrigues was first arrested in 1973 at age 19 and spent most of his adult life in prison, where he continued to kill fellow inmates — by his own account, dozens of them — targeting men he considered deserving of punishment for their own crimes. He was initially sentenced to 126 years but was released in 2007 under Brazilian law at the time, which capped total imprisonment at 30 years regardless of sentence length.
After Release
Rodrigues was rearrested in 2011 on charges related to a prison riot and unlawful restraint, receiving an eight-year sentence, of which he served seven before his release in 2018. He was convicted of 71 murders across his lifetime, though he claimed a higher, unverified total.
Death
On March 5, 2023, Rodrigues was shot and killed by two assailants in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil. The attackers fled the scene, and no suspects had been identified as of the most recent available reporting.
FAQ
How many people did Pedro Rodrigues Filho kill?
He was formally convicted of 71 murders, though he claimed a higher, unverified number.
Why was he released after being sentenced to 126 years?
Brazilian law at the time capped total prison terms at 30 years regardless of the length of the original sentence.
How did Pedro Rodrigues Filho die?
He was shot and killed by two unidentified assailants in 2023, after his release from prison.