A 75-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of killing and dismembering a young barber over a £200 debt.
Antônio Rodrigues da Silva turned himself in to the police and partially confessed to the crime.
He had been caught on CCTV throwing bin bags, which were later found stuffed with a head and arms, into a waste container.
READ MORE: Girl, four, caught inadvertently ‘dealing cocaine’ to classmates
Danilo da Silva Santana was last seen and heard from by his mother, Cristina Santana, a week before Da Silva’s confession on Monday (24 Mar).
A forensic examination confirmed the body parts belonged to the missing barber, as reported by Need To Know.
Police chief Marcelo Machado told local media: “The arms and head found in the waste container were burnt.
“We believe this was done to make it harder to recognise and identify the victim.”
The rest of the 26-year-old’s body was found buried under a church bathroom in Belford Roxo near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Da Silva is a bricklayer and had built the church and the house he had sold to Danilo.
Danilo bought it for £2,700 (20,000 BRL) and had paid DA Silva £2,500 over three years.
Cristina says the builder was aggressive and had threatened her son over the remaining £200.
She told local media: “He argued with my son frequently.
“They never became physical, but I was scared it might happen.”
Suspecting something horrible had been done to Danilo, Cristina pointed the police to the church owned by Da Silva.
Forensic experts found bloodstains and a power saw in the bathroom, as well as a trail of blood leading to it.
They also noticed the smell of formaldehyde, apparently used to mask the stench.
Machado said the power saw was “likely used to cut the body parts”.
Da Silva told police he had struck Danilo with a shovel, causing him to faint.
He claims he does not remember what happened afterwards..
Cristina says there were disputes about the house’s water supply and property documents.
Danilo had moved out temporarily after the water was cut off.
Cristina suspects he was lured to the church under the pretext of receiving the paperwork.
She told local media: “The promise was that the house would come with water.
“The Russian, as he’s known around here, cut off the water supply without any reason, and that’s when my son stopped paying.”
Da Silva has been charged with qualified homicide and concealment of a corpse.
Danilo was laid to rest in Belford Roxo.
The investigation is ongoing.
READ MORE: Train slams into car after driver makes wrong turn at level crossing
