Teenager is tied up, killed and buried; trio is arrested

The teenager had disappeared on August 6, after being forcibly removed from a hotel room in Lucas do Rio Verde, in the north of Mato Grosso. Images from security cameras recorded part of the action and became one of the main pieces of evidence used by investigators to reconstruct the crime.

In the video, a man appears kicking the door until he manages to break it down. Then, he takes Cláudia out of the room and takes her out of the establishment. The Civil Police later identified a white Fiat Mobi that would have been used to transport the teenager.

Body was found buried near BR-163

After almost a week of searching, Cláudia's body was found on August 12, buried in a forested area close to BR-163, in the Sorriso region, also in Mato Grosso.

According to preliminary information from the investigation, the teenager showed signs of violence and signs of suffocation. Her hands were tied and there was a rope around her neck. The exact cause of death depends on the results of forensic examinations.

A man identified as responsible for transporting the victim had already been located during the first investigations. The vehicle under investigation was also seized and sent for forensic examination. Information obtained by the police from this stage helped to delimit the region where the body was.

Suspects tried to reach Rio de Janeiro

The three investigated arrested on Saturday had preventive arrest warrants issued by the 1st Criminal Court of Lucas do Rio Verde. The Civil Police of Mato Grosso discovered that the group had left the state and passed on information about their movement to the Federal Highway Police.

The trio had boarded at the Cuiabá bus station in a vehicle hired via an app bound for Rio de Janeiro. According to the investigation, the 22-year-old woman requested the race for around R$1,500.

The approach took place on BR-158, in Paranaíba. After identifying the passengers and confirming the warrants, the three were taken to a Civil Police station and were made available to the courts.

Police investigate possible criminal activity

The Civil Police are also investigating the hypothesis that the death occurred in the context of an action by members of a criminal faction. Delegate Artur Andrade Almeida, responsible for the investigation, told the local press that Cláudia had a relationship with a member of a rival organization and had made publications on social media that displeased members of the group under investigation.

According to the delegate, however, there is no indication that the teenager participated in the faction's criminal activities. The possible motivation and role of each person investigated are still being investigated.

The investigation seeks to clarify the entire sequence of the crime, from the teenager's removal from the hotel to the place where she was kept and later killed. The Civil Police are also trying to identify other possible people involved in the kidnapping, murder and hiding of the body.

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