Ex-brother-in-law of murdered lawyer in Campinas arrested with gloves similar to those used in crime
Civil police have arrested the ex-brother-in-law of Rafael Henrique Silva de Mello, who was shot dead after being dragged from an estate agency in Campinas on 27 August.
Suspect in lawyer's murder in Campinas detained with gloves seized from bedroom
Campinas Civil Police arrested a man on Friday (4th) who is considered a suspect in the murder of lawyer Rafael Henrique Silva de Mello, 45 years old. According to g1.globo.com, the detainee is the ex-brother-in-law of the victim — the brother of Rafael's ex-wife, who according to investigators had committed acts of domestic violence against her.
The suspect denies involvement in the crime. Civil Police reported that he was serving an open regime after completing 10 years of a sentence for the crimes of robbery and attempted murder.
Digital evidence and seizure of gloves
The analysis of digital and technical evidence allowed police to verify that the ex-brother-in-law was just a few metres from the crime scene on the same day and time as the execution. Based on these elements, Civil Police requested from the judiciary a temporary arrest warrant for the individual under investigation and a search and seizure warrant.
During execution of the warrant, pairs of black gloves were found in the suspect's bedroom which, according to Civil Police, are similar to those used by the perpetrators of the homicide. Investigations are continuing to identify other people involved in the case.
The crime: dragged from the estate agency
Rafael Henrique Silva de Mello was murdered on the night of 27 August 2026, after being forcibly removed from an estate agency in Jardim Marisa, on Avenida Coronel PM Hélio Barbosa Caldas, in Campinas. According to the incident report, the lawyer had gone to the establishment for a meeting with a purported new client.
Shortly after his arrival, two men who were on a motorcycle went up the estate agency stairs and dragged Rafael out of the premises. On the pavement, the victim attempted to resist, and there was a brief physical struggle. The two criminals fired shots and then fled on the motorcycle. An estate agency employee witnessed the entire incident, which was recorded by security cameras.
Profile of the victim
Rafael maintained his own law office in Campinas, practising in Family Law, Consumer Law and Civil Law. He was a member of the Civil Law Commission and the Commission on Family Law and Succession of the 3rd Subsection of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) in Campinas, registered with the entity since 27 February 2019.
In his professional profile, Rafael declared having more than ten postgraduate qualifications and highlighted experience in mediation and conflict resolution. On the professional social network, where he had accumulated 2,600 followers, his last post — made on the day of the crime — addressed questions of pension law.
OAB demands rigorous investigation
The OAB classified Rafael's death as an "affront to the full exercise of the legal profession and to society itself". In a statement, the entity said it is following the case with Civil Police and demanded a "swift and rigorous" investigation to identify and hold accountable all those involved in the murder.
Source: Google News BR — São Paulo