New details have emerged following the arrest of a second suspect as part of the investigation into last month’s murder of a 20-year-old nanny in Brazil.
The Amazonas Civil Police apprehended Antônio de Oliveira, 25, last Wednesday in connection to the kidnapping and murder of Geovana Martins.
Authorities arrested de Oliveira’s girlfriend, Camila da Silva, on August 28. She had hired Martins to babysit her daughter a year ago.
Martins was killed August 19 and found the following day in a wooded area in the northeastern Brazilian city of Manaus.
Amazonas Civil Police chief Marília Campello said during a press conference Thursday that Martins was at the home of a friend and ignored the da Silva’s phone calls to return to her residence.
A furious da Silva allegedly went to Martins’ location, where she beat and furiously dragged her out of the home.
Campello said that da Silva later texted Martin’s friend seeking information on her whereabouts as part of an attempt to cover up her involvement in the murder.
‘She forcibly takes Geovana from her friend’s house and on the 19th, at night, Geovana is probably already dead, she sends a message to this friend asking about Geovana,’ the Amazonas Civil Police official said.
‘It was a disappointment from start to finish, thinking that the police would not arrive because of the alibi she tried to form,’ Campello added.
De Oliveira, who was arrested in 2023 in connection to the theft of luxury vehicles, allegedly assisted da Silva is kidnapping and burying Martins’ body.
Authorities are still searching for two more suspects, including Eduardo da Silva. It’s unknown if he is related to Camila da Silva.
The police alleged early in the investigation that Camila da Silva used her home as a prostitution den and would often prevent Martins from leaving.
‘She was lured into a life of partying and drinking,’ Campello said in August. ‘But then Camila started forcing her to stay there. She wouldn’t let her leave, even though she wanted to, and she was sexually exploited.’
Other women were allegedly forced into performing sex work at the home, but Martins was the only one who was forced to live there.
‘This victim was practically forced to perform sexual acts. From what we found out, the house operated as a massage parlor,’ Campello said. ‘In addition to Geovana, other girls also passed through there, but the victim lived there and could not have relationships with people from outside.’
Videos posted on da Silva’s TikTok account showed her and Martins dancing together.
Martins’ mother, Maria Costa, had told Brazilian news outlet G1 she was unaware her daughter had been forced to work as a prostitute.
‘So far we don’t know anything. She had never told me anything,’ Costa said. ‘It’s painful, knowing that she was working with someone and then finding out that my daughter is dead.’