Hitman fakes death of intended victim using two bottles of ketchup

Grisly end: ‘Victim’ Iranildes Aguiar Araujo lies mouth taped, covered in ‘blood...’ which is actually ketchup

It sounds like the script to a late- night movie being shown on a foreign satellite TV channel.

Suspicious wife hires hitman to bump off love rival, only the would-be killer falls in love at first sight with intended victim.

They then fake her assassination using liberal sploshes of ketchup and a machete under an armpit.

But after running away their plot is foiled – when the angry wife sees them together days later.

Iranildes Aguiar Araujo was alive and well

All three characters are now being investigated by police. As chief Marconi Lima said: ‘In eight years of policing, I’ve never heard anything like it.’

Housewife Maria Nilza Simoes was convinced Iranildes Aguiar Araujo was having an affair with her husband. She paid hitman Carlos Roberto de Jesus £345 to murder her.

But when de Jesus saw his intended victim, he fell head over heels for her and confessed the plot.

They then conjured up a plan to fool Simoes into believing he carried out the hit. The new lovers bought two bottles of ketchup and staged the murder scene.

But the ruse was discovered three days later when Simoes saw the pair kissing.

She then went to the police to complain he had stolen $1,000 from her. The murder was supposed to take place in the small town of Pidonbacu, in eastern Brazil.

All three now face charges.