A Brazilian man accused of killing 16 people in a remote part of the country was captured after a two-day police pursuit ended on September 13, with investigators revealing that he had been hiding for years in dense woodland and using makeshift camps to avoid detection.
Jorlan Lopes da Silva, 33, was arrested in the isolated region of Mulungu in Brazil’s northeastern state of Paraiba, where killings linked to him occurred within the last three months. Douglas Garcia, the investigator who led the pursuit, told Associated Press on Monday that da Silva’s ability to live largely in the woods had made him exceptionally difficult to locate and connect to crimes that initially appeared unrelated.
Local residents had nicknamed da Silva “Mosquito” because of his frail build. Garcia said the suspect’s life in the bush allowed him to remain beyond the reach of authorities for years. “That allowed him to evade capture for years,” Garcia said. “Jorlan lived mostly in the woods, that’s why it was so hard to find him and link him to crimes that didn’t seem to be connected at first.”
According to Garcia, investigators eventually established a connection between da Silva and other crimes after he shot an 18-year-old dead in a public square. The suspect has claimed that he attacked only criminals, but evidence collected so far indicates that this was not the case.
Garcia also said da Silva was providing information suggesting that he had committed more crimes than those for which he is currently being prosecuted. However, the investigator said he could not disclose further details because some investigations remain ongoing while others are being reopened. Authorities are also withholding the identities of the victims and details surrounding their deaths so that the prosecution can proceed with its work.
The circumstances of da Silva’s arrest have added an unusual detail to the investigation. Police found him wearing a black dress with white stripes, a wig and painted nails. He was also carrying a baby whom authorities confirmed was not related to him, although they provided no further details about the child or the circumstances in which da Silva came to be carrying the baby.
“This is a very different person, he said he killed for the first time at age 13,” Garcia said. The investigator explained that da Silva had been unable to reach his tent in the woods during the pursuit and, apparently in desperation, adopted the disguise and took the unrelated baby before ultimately being arrested.
Police had previously said da Silva was a member of a criminal gang that has killed dozens of people in the region. Da Silva denies any affiliation with local gangs and told investigators after his arrest that he was “in a personal war”.
The investigation remains focused on determining the full extent of the killings attributed to da Silva and clarifying the circumstances surrounding individual victims. Mulungu, where the recent killings took place, lies 2,500km (1,553 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, highlighting the remote setting in which investigators say the suspect was able to remain hidden for years.
