Jeane Lui ("Jeje Sucesso")
Age 322 Jan 2025
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Shot

Jeane was shot in the street. The identity of her killer is not known, but one theory is that an argument at a funk dance the night before may have motivated the crime.
“Jeane started out losing in life: black, trans, from the favelas. But she never stopped smiling and fighting. Life was not kind to her, as she was to life.” This is how Alexandre Silva Costa, president of the Cidade Jardim samba school, describes Jeane Lui, or “Jeje Sucesso” as she was known in the community. At 32 years old, the trans woman was brutally murdered in the early hours of this Sunday (5/1), victim of shots fired by a man, still unidentified, on Avenida Raja Gabáglia, in the Luxemburgo neighborhood, also in the Center- South Region.
An argument at a funk dance she attended the night before may have been the motivation for the crime. But before the tragic outcome, Jeane was a unique figure, beloved by the community and considered essential to the Cidade Jardim samba school — the biggest champion of the Belo Horizonte Carnival, where she had performed for almost a decade. The crime took place just a few meters from the samba school's court, a space that Jeane frequented and considered an extension of her home.
Jeane officially began her career at Cidade Jardim in 2016, but her connection with the samba school dates back much further. A resident of Morro do Papagaio, also in the South-Central Region of BH, she was a constant presence at community parties and events. For the school's president, Alexandre Silva Costa, the coexistence was natural. "She was a part of the family. Sometimes she would sleep over at my house. Jeje had a special affection for everything, she liked to see everything in its place. She was very organized and made sure to help, even when it wasn't t her responsibility," he recalls.
Alexandre also highlighted the lightness and good humor that marked Jeane's personality. "She called everyone 'success', she was very funny. That's how her nickname, Jeje Sucesso, came about. Wherever she was, she made everyone smile. People were enchanted by her," he told the Estado de Minas newspaper.
A passion that, for those who knew Jeane closely, was described as a true mission, a life purpose. Skilled and dedicated, she was about to take over the production of costumes for the samba school and lead sewing workshops, which help raise funds for Cidade Jardim. Before that, she planned to participate in a 15-day intensive course in Espírito Santo, with the trip scheduled for this Tuesday (7/1). "Everything that was needed, even things that were beyond her control, she did. She was a person with a great spirit, always willing to help", recalls Alexandre.
The news of Jeane's death left everyone in the community shaken. The family was unable to inform the police whether she had been receiving threats. For Cidade Jardim, the loss is irreparable. "She was our 'success'. A person who transformed any environment into a lighter and more fun place", says Alexandre, who lives next to the school's court and heard the shots that ended his friend's life. "It was a cowardly thing to do. Hearing the shots and then finding out that it was her, it was devastating", he says.
An argument at a funk dance may have been the trigger for Jeane's murder. Known by everyone at the party, according to witnesses' reports to Estado de Minas , she got into a fight with a man, who has not yet been identified, and hours later was approached by two suspects.
A friend, who saw her on the other side of Raja Gabaglia Avenue, as she was leaving her house to go to the bakery, witnessed the crime. According to the report, the man approached with his gun already drawn and, taking advantage of the fact that Jeane's back was turned, fired the first shot. Even though she was lying on the ground, the shooter continued shooting before fleeing on a motorcycle with his accomplice.
Jeane was shot in the head. Near the body, the Military Police (PM) collected more than ten large-caliber ammunition shells on Sunday morning. As of this afternoon, the suspects had not yet been located. There are many witnesses, however, according to the military, most say they heard the shots, but did not see the shooter.