London, Sep 23 (IANS) A hired killer in Brazil took one look at his intended victim and fell head over heels in love with her. The new lovers then splashed tomato ketchup to fake her death, it was reported here.

Carlos Roberto de Jesus was paid over $500 to kill Iranildes Aguiar Araujo by Maria Nilza Simoes, a housewife who was convinced that she was having an affair with her husband.

The murder was to take place in Pidonbacu town in the state of Bahia, in eastern Brazil.

When de Jesus saw his intended victim, he fell in love with her and confessed to the plot, reported the Daily Mail.

They then hatched a plan in which they bought two bottles of ketchup from a local supermarket. Iranildes then tore her shirt and gripped a machete under her armpit. After taping her mouth, tying her hands and pouring ketchup on her, de Jesus got her to play dead.

He then clicked her photograph and sent it to the housewife, saying he had done the job.

The truth was out three days later when de Jesus was spotted kissing the very woman he was meant to have killed.

Maria went to the police complaining that de Jesus had stolen $1,000 from her.

"In eight years of policing, I've never heard anything like this," a police official was quoted as saying.