In the opening session of the trial at the Portimão Court, pastry chef Diogo Zorrinho, 27, testified that the death of his landlord was an accident during a physical confrontation between them.
Diogo Zorrinho, held in pre-trial detention, faces charges of simple homicide in the death of 77-year-old Joaquim Braz. He was contractually linked to the victim due to renting a pastry shop in Albufeira, located in the Faro district.
The defendant was initially charged with aggravated homicide, desecration of a corpse, aggravated theft, and damage with violence by the Public Prosecutor, but these charges were dropped during the case’s preliminary phase.
The indictment stated that Zorrinho owed rent arrears to his landlord and arranged a meeting with Joaquim Braz at the premises to settle the debt after being confronted multiple times.
The court documents reveal that the incident occurred on June 21, 2024, around 10:30 AM, when Diogo Zorrinho met with Joaquim Braz. During an altercation in the office, Zorrinho armed with a knife, inflicted a wound to Braz’s neck, severing the aorta.
Afterward, the defendant covered the body with plastic bags and sent a text message to the landlord’s phone at 5:40 PM, asking for the rental payment receipts.
When queried by the court, Zorrinho explained that he had called the landlord to the shop to pay part of an overdue month, disputing the indictment’s claim of four outstanding rents. He added that the argument started outside and continued indoors.
The accused claimed that inside the office, he dodged a punch from the landlord and retaliated with a punch that knocked Braz against a table.
He further alleged that Braz grabbed a knife from a table to attack him, which he managed to seize, stating that the fatal wound occurred as both fell onto a couch.
Upon realizing the knife was in the victim, Zorrinho said he was shocked and “could not believe” what happened, denying any intention to kill and that he remained at the premises for two days until his arrest.
Inside the shop, the Judicial Police found several knives, a machete, and a hatchet, which Zorrinho admitted to purchasing in Switzerland for a collection, but for which he had no possession licenses, according to the court.
At the trial’s outset, the defense lawyer requested that the proceedings be held behind closed doors, excluding the media, but the court denied the request, seeing no grounds for the reasons cited.
The next court session, with 11 witnesses scheduled, is set for September 3, at 9:15 AM.
