TIS THE SEASON FOR MUSHY STORIES (7)

Another heartwarming Christmas tale, this one involving some Latin lovers.

CRAZED GROOM GUNS DOWN WIFE AND BEST MAN AT WEDDING RECEPTION BEFORE KILLING HIMSELF
By Tom Worden

Mail Online
December 21, 2010

A groom blasted his young bride and best man to death at his wedding reception after telling guests he had a 'surprise' for them.

Rogerio Damascena, 29, shot his new wife Renata Alexandre Costa Coelho, 25, in the chest and head then blew away his best friend Marcelo Guimaraes, 40, before turning the gun on himself.

Around 200 horrified guests witnesses the massacre at the party near Recife, in north east Brazil, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Today the victims' friends and family were desperate for answers as to why Damascena, a sales manager, went berserk with the .38 calibre pistol.

Homicide detective Joao Brito said: 'It was about 2pm and the party was in full swing when he left the room saying he had a surprise, then came back shooting the woman and at other people.

'He drew his gun and shot the bride in the chest region. She was cornered and had no chance to defend herself.

'He took another shot, hitting her in the head. He then fired several times at the best man, who was also his boss and friend.

'Even when he could see that Marcelo was wounded, he shot him in the back of the neck. Then he shot himself in the head.'

The detective said he believed the bloodbath was planned in advance because the groom had hidden the weapon in his father's pickup truck.

The bride's brother Roberto Guerra told a local newspaper: 'The party was going brilliantly until 2am. He left for five minutes, and when he came back he embraced my sister, gave her a kiss on the back of the neck and then started shooting.'

Bizarrely the pistol disappeared from the scene and police were still looking for it tonight.

The couple had married in a civil ceremony on Friday afternoon.

Saturday night's celebration in Camaragibe included a spiritual ceremony which was due to end with a breakfast on Sunday morning.

The bride's family had paid for the festivities and had bought the couple a house as a wedding gift.