#Phototriggered #Amazon #murders #journalist #signpost
The June killings of British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon were likely sparked when they tried to photograph a boat belonging to their killers, the attorney general’s office said on Friday.
According to an office statement, Pereira had asked Phillips to photograph the boat, after which this detail could be considered an aggravating factor in the conviction.
The details emerged after charges were filed against the three men suspected of the double murder on Thursday.
Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima both confessed to the crime, according to officials, while Oseney da Costa de Oliveira – Amarildo’s brother – did not.
The trio are charged with first-degree murder and hiding the bodies.
“Bruno was killed by three bullets, one of them in the back with no defense,” the statement said.
“Dom was killed just for being with Bruno to ensure impunity for the previous crime.”
Phillips, 57, and Pereira, 41, were shot dead while returning from an expedition into a remote rainforest region plagued by drug trafficking, illegal gold mining and fishing.
Phillips, the author of dozens of articles on the Amazon and a longtime contributor to The Guardian newspaper and other major news organizations, traveled to the Javari Valley to research a book.
Pereira served as his guide and had previously traveled to the area with him.
An outspoken advocate of indigenous rights, Pereira had received multiple death threats prior to his assassination.
Police are investigating a possible link to illegal fishing on protected tribal lands – an issue close to Pereira’s heart – as a motive for the killing.
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#Phototriggered #Amazon #murders #journalist #signpost
