A missing teenager’s body has been found half-buried in a thicket.
Victoria Lorrany Coutinho vanished nine days before she was found dead.
A 73-year-old man spotted her corpse in an overgrown field on Tuesday (30 Apr).
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He called the police, who found signs of violence on the body, despite its advanced state of decomposition.
Victoria, 14, disappeared while crossing a bridge over a motorway in Charqueada, north west of São Paulo, Brazil, on the night of 21 April.
Her family said she had gone out to buy a snack.
On Tuesday (30 Apr) night, officers caught a man hiding on a ranch and arrested him on suspicion of femicide.
Investigators believe the 42-year-old, who lives close to where the body was found, was allegedly under the influence of drugs when he approached Victoria.
Police chief Juliana Ricci said: “I suspect it’s a sexual crime.
“That’s my suspicion regarding the motive, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to prove it, especially considering the state of decomposition of the body.
“That’s our suspicion, that it’s a sexual crime, based on how we found the body, on the dynamics.”
The police had questioned the man when the search for Victoria was ongoing.
He was released at the time due to lack of evidence and immediately went on the run, as reported on Need to Know.
The police say he has entries for attempted murder and theft on his criminal record.
Victoria’s devastated grandmother Marina Silva told local media: “We’re dead inside.
“All these days, suffering, crying, pleading with God for her to be alive.
“It’s been nine days of agony, of begging to our God, for her to be alive.”
The body still needs to be DNA-tested, but the police say there are strong indications it is Victoria’s.
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