RYE, New Hampshire – A former military police officer convicted of multiple murders in a 2015 Brazilian massacre has been apprehended in New Hampshire, according to U.S. immigration officials. Antônio José de Abreu Vidal Filho, 29, was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and was sentenced to nearly 276 years in prison for his involvement in the killings.
Vidal Filho, along with three other military police officers, was convicted of 11 murders, three attempted homicides, and torture in the poor suburbs of Fortaleza, the capital of the Ceara state. The crimes took place in November 2015, following the death of a police officer, in what has become known as the “Curio Massacre.”
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations office based in Boston, Vidal Filho was tracked to New Hampshire and arrested in Rye, where he will remain in custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.
Vidal Filho attended the trial remotely as he had fled Brazil for the U.S. in 2019. Online news site G1 reported that a total of 20 police officers are standing trial for the massacre.
An Interpol Red Notice is issued for fugitives charged with or convicted of serious crimes who have fled prosecution or the serving of their sentence. Vidal Filho’s arrest is a significant development in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Curio Massacre.
The details of how Vidal Filho was tracked to New Hampshire and his activities there have not been disclosed. His arrest brings hope to the families of the massacre victims and highlights the international cooperation in apprehending fugitives. This case underscores the global reach of law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of justice for heinous crimes.