Christmas Cake Poisoning Suspect Discovered Dead in Cell: Possible Suicide Investigation Underway

Deise Moura dos Anjos was found dead in her prison cell while awaiting trial for allegedly poisoning her husband’s family with an arsenic-laced Christmas cake. The suspected suicide follows accusations of murder involving three fatalities and ongoing investigations into another possible poisoning case.

Deise Moura dos Anjos, a 42-year-old Brazilian woman who was in pre-trial detention since January, has been found dead in her prison cell, and authorities suspect it may have been a suicide. She was accused of poisoning her husband’s family with an arsenic-laced Christmas cake on Christmas Eve, which led to the deaths of three relatives and the illness of several others. Forensic examinations revealed that the flour used in the cake contained lethal arsenic levels, prompting investigations into whether she was also responsible for the death of her father-in-law, whose remains displayed similarly high arsenic concentrations following exhumation. Moura dos Anjos maintained her innocence throughout the ordeal, but local police chief Cléber dos Santos Lima indicated that there was substantial evidence linking her to the crime, including the purchase of arsenic on multiple occasions. The cake was baked by her mother-in-law, Zeli dos Anjos, who survived after consuming it, along with her grandson and another family member who recovered after being poisoned. Authorities are continuing to sift through evidence to fully unravel this horrific case.