Rio de Janeiro, Oct 17 (IANS/EFE): The confessed murderer of 39 people in the city of Goiania, capital of the central Brazilian state of Goias, tried to commit suicide in his jail cell using the base of a broken lightbulb, police said.

Thiago Henrique Gomes da Rocha, 26, tried to slit his wrists Thursday with the sharp metal but he was prevented from completing his attempt by a guard who managed to subdue him, the Civil Police chief of Goias, Eduardo Prado, who is one of those in charge of the investigation into the slayings, told Spanish news agency Efe.

The multiple murderer needed several stitches on his wrists, Prado added, going on to say that Gomes da Rocha, whom he described as a "cold and calculating" person, "showed no remorse at any time".

Prado told EFE that the murderer said he committed the crimes because "he felt a lot of rage" and that after the "initial pleasure" of the killings he felt a "great depression that pushed him to do those things (commit more murders) again".

The investigation has not yet been wrapped up in the case. The ballistics reports presented to date have confirmed that the weapon Gomes da Rocha had with him when he was arrested Wednesday is the same one used in six of the 39 murders to which he confessed.

Among his victims were 16 women, eight beggars and 15 men selected at random, including several homosexuals.

Da Rocha was arrested last year for stealing a motorcycle licence plate in a shopping centre parking lot and police suspect that he changed the plate on his own vehicle frequently to avoid being identified.

Police told EFE that Gomes da Rocha "led a normal life", by all outward appearances, and was engaged to a woman.