Shivangi Sinha
The murder of the wealthy and affluent couple, German engineer Manfred Albert von Richthofen and psychiatrist Marísia von Richthofen, in their own home in October 2002 was a shocking and high-profile case in Brazil. Many believed there could be various motives for the crime against them. However, when the police arrested their daughter, Suzane Louise von Richthofen, along with Daniel and Cristian Cravinhos de Paula e Silva, it sent shockwaves through the public, and the news generated significant headlines.
The Amazon Prime film ‘The Girl Who Killed Her Parents‘ is based on this real-life incident and delves into the conception and execution of the murder plan. Daniel Cravinhos was charged with first-degree murder along with Suzane, and his involvement with the von Richthofen family came to light during the investigation.
Who is Daniel Cravinhos?
Daniel Cravinhos was born to Nadja and Astrogildo Cravinhos de Paula e Silva and came from a working-class family with limited resources. He began teaching Andreas Albert von Richthofen, Suzane’s brother, how to fly model airplanes. Daniel was 19 years old when he entered a romantic relationship with Suzane in 1999. As their relationship developed, Suzane’s father began to disapprove of it, particularly due to Daniel’s lack of plans for attending school or pursuing any aspirations for the future. His disapproval deepened when he found out that Daniel was a regular marijuana user.
In July 2002, while Suzane’s parents were on vacation, she apparently invited Daniel to stay at her house, and he accepted the invitation, staying there for about a month. When her parents returned from their vacation, Suzane seemingly asked them if she could have a flat for herself and Daniel. However, her father allegedly refused and insisted that she should end her relationship with him. However, Suzane and Daniel continued their relationship in secret, and it was apparently during this period that they began to formulate the plan that they would eventually execute on October 31, 2002.
As part of their plan, Suzane and Daniel apparently decided to involve Daniel’s brother, Cristian Cravinhos. As per the statements, they left Andreas, Suzane’s brother, at an internet cafe. Late at night, Suzane apparently disabled the security alarms at her house to allow Daniel and Cristian, who were waiting outside, entry to the house after Suzane opened the door for them. While Suzane allegedly moved around the house, collecting pieces of jewelry and other items to make it appear as though a burglary had occurred, Daniel and Cristian entered her parents’ bedroom. According to the testimonies given by the defendants, the brothers brutally attacked Suzane’s parents, resulting in the death of the couple. Suzane and Daniel allegedly went to a hotel room to create their alibis and then went to pick up Andreas and, upon returning home, they faked that they were seeing the crime scene for the first time and called the police.
However, the police quickly grew suspicious of the staged burglary, realizing that someone who knew the alarm system’s code had disabled it. Suzane’s behavior added to their suspicions, as she appeared remarkably cold and even celebrated her 19th birthday in the swimming pool of her house shortly after her parents’ funeral along with Daniel. When Cristian purchased a bike in cash, the police knew he was involved in some manner and brought them all for questioning.
During the interrogations, Daniel confessed to the crime, but he said that it was Suzane who was the mastermind behind the plan and had asked him and his brother to murder her parents. In contrast, Suzane argued that her motivation was the fear of losing Daniel, and she contended that her actions were driven by her deep love for him. She even described her adoration for Daniel as god-like and claimed she had merely followed his orders. In the end, both Daniel and Suzane were found guilty of first-degree murder, resulting in each of them receiving a prison sentence of about 40 years. On the other hand, Cristian had to serve about 39 years in prison.
Where is Daniel Cravinhos Now?
Following his sentencing, Daniel Cravinhos was in a closed regime in the Tremembé penitentiary until 2018. Afterward, he was released to serve the remainder of his sentence in an open regime. In an interview, he expressed regret for his actions and stated that he wanted to apologize most of all to Andreas, who was like a younger brother to him. He expressed how he still hadn’t gotten a chance to meet him after being released from prison. From his statements, it seemed like he both dreaded and wanted his meeting with Andreas, given the complicated situation.
Daniel, now 42, also mentioned that he frequently dreams about the Richthofen couple and hopes they have forgiven him. When asked about Suzane, he indicated that he has moved on from the negative feelings associated with her, but if he were to encounter her in the present, he would choose not to interact with her. Daniel, now choosing to be identified as Daniel Bento, currently resides with his parents in Campo Belo, São Paulo. He has taken up motorcycle racing, riding, and customizing motorcycles and has continued his passion for airplane models. In fact, he has his own business called D’ArtePaint. There are reports that he is married. It appears that Daniel is making efforts to rebuild his life and find some form of redemption or forgiveness for the crime he committed.
Read More: Suzane von Richthofen: Where is The Girl Who Killed Her Parents Now?
