Brazilian Pedro Rodrigues Filho, alias "Lil' Pedro Killer" or "Pedrinho Matador," is one of Brazil's most infamous serial killers, who was convicted of 71 murders.

He reportedly killed frequently and proudly wore his intentions in a tattoo that read: "Mato por Prazer," or "I kill for pleasure," when translated to English, according to Toronto Sun. 

Based on his own estimate, Rodrigues Filho claimed to have killed more than 100, including his father and brother-in-law. Even prison did not stop him from killing, as he murdered some 40 fellow convicts while in jail. 

But last March, the deadliest serial killer in Brazil, who reportedly spent more than 30 years behind bars before eventually freed, was killed in a hail of bullets outside his house in the city of Mogi das Cruzes in Sao Paulo state.

According to police, a black car approached Rodrigues Filho while he was on his home's porch before a gunman shot him four times. He died at the scene.

Local media reported that a relative of the serial killer said the masked gunmen told her that it had nothing to do with her, so she should go and take her daughter "inside."

As Rodrigues Filho lay dying on the pavement, one of the killers made sure he died by slitting his throat before they fled the scene. Investigators have yet to identify the killers or determine the possible motive for the murder.

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Crimes of Brazil's Deadliest Serial Killer Pedro Rodrigues Filho

Born in Minas Gerais in 1954, Pedro Rodrigues Filho killed his first victim when he was only 14 years old and went on to kill for more than three decades.

Rodrigues Filho reportedly killed his own father as a form of revenge for murdering his mother. While growing up, Rodrigues Filho and his mother were heavily abused by his father, who ultimately killed and dismembered his wife.

The Brazilian serial killer promised to avenge her mom's death, fulfilling his promise even while he was in prison. According to The Sun, Filho, while in jail, stabbed his father 22 times using a machete before he cut out his still-beating heart and chewed it.

"I cut out a piece of his heart. I chewed it... But I didn't swallow, I chewed and threw it over the body," he said about this gruesome act.

Rodrigues Filho is believed to have killed 10 people by the time he reached 18. These included the vice mayor of his town, who fired his father, and a security guard who he believed framed his father.

From a young age, Rodrigues Filho reportedly had the urge to kill, which manifested when he was 13. After killing the mayor, his father, and the guard, he also murdered another man he believed was the real thief behind a theft he was previously accused of.

After this killing, the Brazilian serial killer fled to Sao Paolo. While on the run in Sao Paolo, he met a woman named Maria Aparecida Olympia and proposed to her. It was while Rodrigues Filho was in the middle of a crime spree of robbing the slums and murdering a drug dealer. 

As an act of revenge, the dealer's fellow gang members brutally murdered his then-pregnant fiancé. However, this just spurred the serial killer to commit even more acts of violence.

He later went on to torture and kill more people in order to get his revenge. He later found out that the gang was organizing a wedding. He went to that wedding and killed many of the gang's members. That all happened when he was still 18.

Brazil's Most Notorious Serial Killer, Pedro Rodrigues Filho, Became a YouTuber Before Death

Pedro Rodrigues Filho was finally captured in 2003 and was eventually convicted. However, even in prison, he continued to kill fellow inmates, particularly rapists. 

While convicted of 71 murders, his killing of some 40 inmates while in prison reportedly increased his sentence to 400 years. The Brazilian serial killer was initially sentenced to 127 years in prison.

According to Grunge, Brazil does not have a lifetime sentence, and an inmate cannot serve more than 30 years in jail for each crime. Thus, Rodrigues Filho was able to walk free in 2007 after serving a total of 34 years in prison.

The Brazilian serial killer eventually created a YouTube channel called "Ex-Pedrinho Matador," which means "former Pedrinho killer." His subscribers reached more than 30,000.

In a 2020 podcast, Pedro Rodrigues Filho was asked whether he would kill again. He answered: "No. I would only kill again if someone came to take my life or the lives of people I love, who are my family."

He added: "Nobody said it would be easy, I assume my mistakes, I paid my penalty, so I don't need to be judged or defended by anyone anymore." 

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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