Benício Araújo Machado, 8, died on Friday (13) in Itumbiara, Goiás, from shots fired by his father, Government Secretary Thales Naves Alves Machado, who also killed his older brother and took his own life. Civil Police are investigating the case as double homicide followed by suicide, pointing to a marital crisis as a possible motive. The children's mother faced threats during the older son's burial.
In the early morning of February 12, 2026, Thales Naves Alves Machado, 40, Itumbiara's Government Secretary, shot his sons Miguel Araújo Machado, 12, and Benício Araújo Machado, 8, in the family's residential condominium in Itumbiara, southern Goiás. He then committed suicide. Miguel did not survive the wounds and died that same day, while Benício, admitted in critical condition to the ICU at Itumbiara's State Hospital, passed away on Friday afternoon (13), as confirmed by the Goiás Civil Police.
The case, now treated as double homicide followed by suicide, is under investigation by Itumbiara's Homicide Investigation Group. The force rules out third-party involvement and focuses on an alleged marital crisis as the main line of inquiry. Thales and his wife, Sarah Araújo, daughter of Mayor Dione Araújo (União Brasil), had been married for 15 years. Hours before the crime, Thales posted a video on social media declaring love for his sons. Later, a deleted post mentioned relationship problems, including suspicion of infidelity — he claimed his wife traveled to São Paulo to meet another person — and stated he could not live with the memories. In the message, he asked forgiveness from the family and the mayor, saying: “I know there is no forgiveness but it was what was left on this unhappy day of my 40 years”. At the end, he wrote: “We parted, me and my boys, who are now angels”.
Sarah was not home at the time of the shooting. During Miguel's burial on Thursday afternoon (12) at Avenida da Saudade Cemetery, she required police escort due to reported threats and left the site before the ceremony ended. Friends and family wore t-shirts with the phrase “Miguel eternal”. On social media, a video of unknown origin, allegedly recorded by a private detective, circulated showing Sarah kissing a man, sparking outrage, attacks against her, and hostility at the burial.
Benício's body will be waked starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday (14) at Mayor Dione Araújo's house — Thales's father-in-law — with burial planned for the same cemetery. Itumbiara City Hall declared three days of official mourning. Goiás Governor Ronaldo Caiado (União Brasil) expressed sorrow on social media and announced a visit to the city to offer solidarity. He stated: “The news of violence within a home, especially when children are victims, hits the family hard and puts our entire State in mourning”.
