My brother, 14, was raped & burned alive in ‘cult’ killing – his murderers are still free three years after conviction

LUCAS Terra was 14 years old when he was raped and burned alive in the basement of a church – and despite being convicted three years ago, his evil killers remain free. In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Lucas’ heartbroken brother Carlos Terra reveals the horror of identifying his sibling’s charred remains after they were found inside a crate on a busy street – and the hidden force he says has protected Lucas’ murderers for years. Lucas Terra’s body was found two days after he went missing in Bahia, Brazil Credit: Supplied The 14-year-old was raped and murdered by religious leaders of the church he attended Credit: Supplied On March 21, 2001, Lucas left home to attend a religious service led by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG). He worked for the UCKG and was going to stamp leaflets at the Temple of the Red River – his regular branch in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Soon after the boy called his family from a public telephone, saying that he was with Pastor Silvio Roberto Galiza and he was going to sleep at the church because it was late. But the next day Carlos, who was 25 at the time, received a call from his father who said Lucas had not come home. Carlos said: “People had seen him leaving with Pastor Silvio Galiza. But when he went to the church, they told him Lucas was not there. “But 25 years ago, we didn’t have the information we have today. There was a presumption that being with a man of God is safe.” The family created a search taskforce, scouring the neighbourhood for any signs of the boy. Carlos said: “I thought he was going to show up at any moment. But then things started to get strange.” Carlos, Lucas Terra’s brother, was called in to identify the teenager’s body Credit: Supplied Lucas Terra’s mother Marion Terra holds a picture of her son Credit: Supplied A meeting was held at the church, led by Bishop Fernando Aparecido, who allegedly banned people from helping in the search for Lucas. And two days later, Lucas’ remains were found inside a crate on Avenida Vasco da Gama, a busy public street in Bahia. Carlos was called in to identify the body of his younger brother. He said: “When I saw the body I didn’t think it could be Lucas. “Then I saw parts of the skin that had not been burnt, hair strands that looked like Lucas’ and patches of fabric that matched his clothes.” Carlos described the moment forensics confirmed a DNA match as “earth-shattering despair”. The medical report revealed that there was an attempt to strangle him and he was charred to such an extent that it was impossible to determine the cause of death. But prosecutors believe “there was certainly an act of sexual violence”. The UCKG was founded in Brazil by billionaire banker Edir Macedo in 1977 Credit: UCKG The temple of the UCKG in Sao Paulo, Brazil Credit: AFP In 2004, Galiza was sentenced to 18 years for Lucas’ murder – and granted parole after serving seven. But Galiza’s testimony also implicated UCKG pastors Fernando Aparecido da Silva and Joel Miranda – who were convicted of murder and concealment of a body in 2023. They were sentenced to 21 years in prison but shockingly, they are both free due to appeal proceedings launched by their defence teams. Under Brazilian law, a person convicted of any crime – including murder -can remain free while appealing their case. The country’s constitution states that no one is guilty until a final judicial decision is reached. Carlos said: “For years people have sent me evidence that Joel is still working as a pastor for the UCKG in Santa Catarina, including treating children and teenagers. “And Fernando. The last information I received was that he is a tour guide inside the Salomão Temple in São Paulo. This is the most absurd thing.” According to witnesses, Galiza became “obsessed” with Lucas and he was irritated when the boy grew close to girls at the church. Davi de Oliveira Vieira, a former pastor in the UCKG in Brazil Credit: Supplied A pastor performs prayer during a UCKG service in London Credit: Supplied He would also invite Lucas to sleep in the church with others boys, reports said. The pastor’s bosses moved Galiza to another institution after discovering that he slept in the same bed with Lucas in church – while the other boys slept in a separate room. He had already been kicked out of another religious community – where he had the nickname “The Secretary of the Devil”. But Galiza continued to visit the church where Lucas attended. Carlos’ father, Jose Carlos Terra, died in 2019 and was buried next to his son after 18 years of unrelenting campaigning. Carlos said: “I saw my father die fighting for justice, crying out for a state and judicial system to do a simple thing. To comply with the law that puts crime against children as a priority.” In 2007, the UCKG was ordered to pay damages to Lucas’ family as “the occurrence of this heinous crime was only possible due to a careless attitude of the religious institution in question”. Founded in Brazil by billionaire banker Edir Macedo in 1977, the church now operates thousands of temples in more than 140 countries. Since its arrival in the UK 30 years ago, 38 churches have sprung up across the country, including 18 in London. Former member and founder of Surviving Universal UK, Rachael Reign, told The Sun: “All survivors are traumatised. It is spiritual abuse.” Rachael spent eight years in the “cult-like” church, which practices miracle healing and promises divine blessings in return for cash. Aged 13, she was approached by a UCKG member on the street in South London and encouraged to join the youth group. Rachael spent eight years in the grip of the UCKG after being recruited in South London Credit: Supplied Rachael founded Surviving Universal UK after leaving the church Credit: Supplied Within two years she was made assistant. Her roles included fundraising drives and performing what the church coins “strong prayers” – but which Rachael said are “exorcisms”. Pastors at the church carry out the prayers to rid members of “demons”. Former gay members reported being given strong prayers to make them straight, the BBC reported. Rachael said: “There would be a real stillness in the room. But as soon as the person had a reaction it would turn into hysteria. People would be screaming, crying and chanting prayers in unison. “The UCKG is a danger to the most vulnerable in society.” The UCKG said it does not “practise exorcism or conversion therapy” in the UK and “any suggestion that we attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation is categorically untrue”. In Brazil, the church has seven million members – making it the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination. Davi de Oliveira Vieira, a former pastor in the UCKG, told The Sun: “The pastor follows an order, there is a hierarchy. And he has to do what he is told to do. “All meetings have financial goals. The pastor is given a text from the Bible, and he has to make that into a fundraising campaign. It’s a new religion disguised as a business.” Macedo, a former street preacher, has transformed the UCKG into a billion-dollar church-media juggernaut Credit: Reuters Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (C), TV presenter Silvio Santos (R) and evangelical bishop Edir Macedo attend a parade in 2019 Credit: AFP In Brazil, where a quarter of the population live in poverty, the church has built a multi-million pound fortune from its “prosperity theology”. Its membership are asked to donate a minimum of 10 per cent of their income, plus any extra “sacrifices” they can afford in return for blessings. Davi worked at the church for five years across southern Brazil including Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. He said: “It has a national and global project of youth recruitment. I saw children as young as 13 brought in as pastors.” All pastors, including children, are forced to have vasectomies and cut ties with their families, Davi claimed. “I witnessed a doctrine of humiliation and brainwashing. Young people were embarrassed and abused,” he added. Macedo, a former street preacher and lottery worker, has transformed the UCKG into a billion-dollar church-media juggernaut. He owns a 49 per cent stake in a private Brazilian bank and a growing media empire including Brazil’s number-two television network. Since 2006, Macedo has travelled by private jet on a Brazilian diplomatic passport. He also owns the $14.6million beachfront Porsche Design Tower in Miami, Florida. The UCKG rejected the allegations against the church in the UK. A spokesman said: “[These allegations] are historic, have been previously denied, and form part of a long-running campaign by one former member. “They do not reflect the experience of our 5,000+ members across 38 branches, where we have operated as a registered charity for more than 30 years. “Prayer at UCKG is voluntary, offered only with consent, and never a substitute for medical treatment. UCKG welcomes people from all walks of life and treats every individual with dignity and respect, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. “Anyone with a concern should raise it through the appropriate channels, which we would fully support.” The Brazilian branch of the UCKG told The Sun: “Silvio Roberto Galiza was never a pastor of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God; he served only as a volunteer keyboardist in 2001. “Inquiries regarding Fernando Aparecido and Joel Miranda should be directed to their respective legal counsel.” Regarding the ex-pastor’s accusations that all meetings “have financial goals” and UCKG is a “new religion disguised as a business”, the Brazilian branch responded calling the claims “outrageous”. It described it as “the reckless statements of a single source” and added: “Journalism committed to the truth demands rigor and facts, not false accusations or fallacies concerning our liturgy.”