Brazilian police announced on Friday July 8 that they had made a new arrest in connection with the investigation into the execution of British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon a month ago.
The man, nicknamed '
Colombia
', told police he was buying local fish from one of the men being held after confessing to involvement in the murder, Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira. nicknamed "
Pelado
".
"Colombia", the fourth man arrested in this case, went "
spontaneously
" to the authorities on Thursday to deny reports circulating in the press that he was the sponsor of the crimes.
He was arrested after presenting false identity papers.
Read alsoMurders in the Amazon: the remains of journalist Dom Phillips formally identified
Phillips, 57, a longtime contributor to The Guardian newspaper, and Pereira, 41, a recognized expert on indigenous peoples, were in the Amazon as part of the preparation of a book on environmental conservation.
They were shot dead while returning from an expedition in the Javari Valley, an isolated area in the state of Amazonas plagued by numerous trafficking.
The police favor the thesis that links the double murder to illegal fishing in protected areas, an activity that Pereira was fighting.
"
We are trying to see if 'Colombia' was involved in illegal fishing, if he was financing
" this activity, said Friday during a press conference Eduardo Fontes, head of the federal police in the state of Amazonas.
"
Colombia denies any involvement in the double homicide and also denies being the sponsor
,” Mr. Fontes said.
"
We don't know his true identity, we know that he has papers from three countries (Brazil, Colombia and Peru, editor's note), and each time with a different identity
".
To date, three men are imprisoned as suspects.
Five others are said to have buried the remains of the two victims underground, found ten days after their disappearance in an area difficult to access.
"
We are continuing our investigation to find out if other people participated in the crimes, whether or not there is a sponsor, and what was the real motive
," concluded the Amazonas police chief.
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