When investigators uncovered a shallow, cement-covered grave in the backyard of a home in Itapetininga, Brazil, the post-mortem examination delivered a detail that confirmed the worst. Soil was found inside Maria Clara Aguirre Lisboa's windpipe. She had been breathing when she was buried.

Maria Clara was five years old.

How the Investigation Began

It was Maria Clara's paternal grandfather who first raised the alarm. In early October, he reported her missing to child services. The case was transferred to police on October 8. Six days later, on October 14, her body was found at the rear of the home she shared with her mother, Luiza Aguirre Barbosa da Silva, and her stepfather, Rodrigo Ribeiro Machado.

Forensic experts determined that Maria Clara's body had been in the ground for approximately 20 days. The state of decomposition was advanced enough that a traditional wake could not be held. On October 15, she was buried at Colina da Paz Cemetery. Only relatives from her biological father's side were present.

Her aunt wrote: "My heart is in pieces knowing that your life was taken in such a cruel and unjust way."

What the Post-Mortem Revealed

The cause of death was determined to be mechanical asphyxiation caused by burial. In addition to the soil found in her airway, examiners identified head trauma consistent with blunt force impacts that occurred before she was placed in the ground. She had been struck before she was buried alive.

Lead investigator Franco Augusto stated that both Da Silva and Machado had subjected Maria Clara to abuse. Machado, who was 23 at the time, is accused of inflicting physical and psychological abuse on both Maria Clara and her mother. Social services had already received reports flagging threats from Machado before Maria Clara disappeared.

The Audio Message That Exposed Machado

During the investigation, detectives uncovered an audio message Machado had sent directly to Maria Clara's biological father. In the recording, Machado told him that Maria Clara was dead and pressured him to stop making contact. The message was sent by the man who killed her, to her own father, as a warning to back off.

Authorities also revealed that Machado has ties to the PCC, Brazil's First Capital Command gang, where he operates under the alias "ruthless brother."

Where the Case Stands

Both Luiza Aguirre Barbosa da Silva and Rodrigo Ribeiro Machado are in custody. Both have confessed to the killing. They are scheduled to appear in court on May 19, facing charges of murder with aggravating circumstances and concealing a corpse.