Three charged over murders of Bruno Pereira, Dom Philips
Brazilian federal prosecutors have charged Amarildo da Costa Oliveira (nicknamed Pelado), Oseney da Costa de Oliveira, and Jefferson da Silva Lima with the qualified murders by futile motive and the concealment of the bodies of indigenous advocate Bruno Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips, killed in the Javari Valley, Amazonas state, early in June this year.
The accusation was submitted Thursday (Jul 21) to court authorities in the town of Tabatinga, where the case is being considered.
According to the five prosecutors handling the case, Pelado and Lima confessed to having participated in the crime, whereas Oliveira’s involvement was established based on the testimonies of witnesses. Also included in the motion were copies of messages exchanged between the accused.
According to the charges, there were previous disagreements between Bruno Pereira—a former official with Brazil’s indigenous foundation FUNAI—and Pelado, who is suspected of being involved in illegal fishing in the region. Prosecutors argue Pereira and Phillips were ambushed and killed after Pereira asked Phillips to photograph the boat belonging to the defendants in order to document the illicit practices.
According to the MPF, Pereira was killed with three shots, one of them in the back. Phillips was killed merely because he accompanied Pereira when the crime was committed.
