Manfred and Marisia von Richthofen were a wealthy and successful couple living in a large house in the Campo Belo neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. Manfred, who was born in Germany, worked as a director for a highway construction company, while Marisia was a highly respected and well-known psychiatrist. The couple placed a strong emphasis on education, providing a privileged life for their two children, Suzane and Andreas, who attended a private German school. Suzane was an intelligent, outgoing, and well-groomed girl who spoke four languages, whereas her younger brother Andreas was more introverted and enjoyed playing video games.The family's dynamic shifted in August 1999 when, during a walk in the park, 12-year-old Andreas was captivated by a remote-controlled model airplane flown by 17-year-old Daniel Cravinhos. The parents hired Daniel to teach Andreas how to build and fly the models. Soon, 15-year-old Suzane and Daniel fell in love and officially began dating. However, Daniel came from a significantly less affluent background, showed little interest in education or steady work, and had an older brother, Cristian, who was involved in illicit activities and owed money to drug dealers. Manfred and Marisia strongly disapproved of the relationship, viewing Daniel as a poor influence who caused Suzane to skip university classes and spend her generous allowance on expensive gifts for him and his family.Tensions escalated into severe arguments as the parents tried to separate the couple by restricting Suzane's finances and threatening to send her to study in Europe. In the fall of 2002, Suzane feigned a breakup with Daniel to appease her parents, though the couple secretly continued to see each other and began meticulously planning their future.On the night of October 31, 2002, Suzane went out, supposedly to celebrate her upcoming 19th birthday. She left Andreas at a video game cafe and spent part of the night in a motel with Daniel. Around 4:00 AM, Suzane and Andreas returned home to find the front door open, the house in a state of disorganized disarray, and their parents dead in their bedroom. The attackers had struck them with a metal bar and covered their faces with towels.Investigators quickly grew suspicious. The house's alarm code had been deactivated—a code only known to a few—no valuable electronics or cars were stolen, and the burglary appeared artificially staged. Furthermore, Daniel suspiciously knew the exact amount of money kept in the family's safe. When police discovered that Cristian had purchased a $3,600 motorcycle with precisely organized $100 bills shortly after the crime, the plot unraveled. By early November, Cristian, Daniel, and Suzane were arrested. Cristian confessed to helping carry out the murders, and while Suzane and Daniel blamed each other for masterminding the plot for the family inheritance, all three admitted their involvement.During the trial in July 2006, Suzane and Daniel were each sentenced to 40 years in prison, and Cristian received 38 years. Although Andreas inherited the official family estate, it was later revealed that Manfred had approximately $10 million in Swiss bank accounts registered under Suzane's name, which she could theoretically access upon her release. Daniel was released from prison in 2018 and married, and Cristian was released in 2017 but briefly returned to prison shortly after. Interestingly, Suzane opted to remain in a closed facility despite being eligible for early release.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-pieces--6886558/support.