Brazilian soap opera star Jefferson Machado has been found dead, aged 44, and his body was discovered in a wooden trunk that had been encased in concrete and buried six feet below a house in the Campo Grande area of Rio de Janeiro. The police have identified the tenant of the property, who had reportedly rented it from a woman, as a suspect in the case but so far, there have been no arrests. On the day of discovery, police footage showed investigators digging through the concrete floor to locate the wooden box, which was subsequently exhumed with the help of six people.
News of Machado’s death was shared by the family’s lawyer on Facebook. Jairo Magalhaes Advogados said in a statement: “It is with regret that I share the sad news of the passing of actor Jeff Machado, whose body was found with signs of strangulation”. The lawyer added that the body was identified using fingerprints.
Friends and family of the actor have taken to social media to pay tribute to Machado, expressing their sadness and shock at the loss. In a message on Instagram, family friend Cintia Hilsendeger said: “Jefferson was coldly and brutally murdered by envious, evil, and, of course, unscrupulous people.”
Machado’s mother, Maria das Dores, became concerned after she received text messages from someone claiming to be impersonating her son. She said the messages contained spelling errors and didn’t sound like her son, but she believed him when he claimed he was busy with work. The family became increasingly anxious when Machado stopped receiving calls, and his iCloud password was changed, and his location was deactivated.
The actor was last seen on 27 January and is believed to have spoken to his mother two days later, when he said he had traveled to Sao Paulo for a job interview. On 9 February, the authorities declared Machado missing after his eight dogs were found abandoned at his Rio de Janeiro home.
The investigation of the murder is ongoing, but it is currently unknown what prompted the tenant of the Campo Grande property to perpetrate the alleged crime, and what may have led to Machado’s death. Friends and fans have also paid tribute to the actor. He was well-known for his role in the Brazilian soap opera Reis and was seen as one of Brazil’s most promising acting talents.
The death of Machado is the latest in a series of high-profile murders in Brazil, with police struggling to combat the country’s rising crime levels. In 2019, Brazil recorded a staggering 41,635 murders, a rate of 19.8 per 100,000 people, making the country one of the deadliest in the world. The vast majority of these crimes go unpunished, with only a small percentage ever resulting in convictions.
The legal system in Brazil has also been criticized as being slow and opaque, with many claiming that it favors the wealthy and powerful over the ordinary citizen. Cases can take years to work their way through the courts, and corruption is endemic. This has led many to call for urgent reform of the justice system to address the country’s crime problems and restore faith in the rule of law.
In conclusion, the murder of Jefferson Machado has shocked his fans and the Brazilian entertainment industry. The police investigation is ongoing, but it is clear that Brazil is struggling with high crime rates and an under-resourced and corrupt legal system. The country’s future relies on its ability to protect its citizens and hold the perpetrators of violent crime accountable for their actions.
