A man suspected of being a serial killer targeting homeless individuals has been arrested in the state of Espírito Santo. Marcelo Campos de Jesus, 37 years old, is under investigation for the murders of seven people across two Brazilian states over a six-month period.
The string of violent crimes began in Teixeira de Freitas, Bahia. According to authorities, six homicides occurred in the city between November 2025 and April 2026. The victims were all individuals experiencing homelessness, and investigators believe the suspect also lived on the streets. The motive for the killings is reported to be personal disputes, often over money or cigarettes, which would escalate into fatal violence.
The first known victim was Marilene da Ressurreição Lopes, 42, found dead in a wooded area on November 9, 2025, with a head injury from a blunt object. Just days later, on November 15, Valdemar da Silva died after being physically assaulted. Two more victims, Jandira Luz Nascimento, 51, and Djalma Vilela Pereira, 50, were found dead together on February 16, 2026, also with head injuries.
The violence continued into April. On April 2, an unidentified man was found dead with facial injuries possibly caused by a piece of wood. Five days later, on April 7, another unidentified man was discovered dead at a bus shelter along the BR-101 highway, showing signs of head trauma. Following this last crime in Bahia, the suspect fled to Espírito Santo.
The arrest took place on April 28 in Serra, a city in the greater Vitória metropolitan area, located about 368 kilometers from Teixeira de Freitas. The day before his capture, on April 27, Marcelo allegedly attacked another homeless man in Serra. The victim was sleeping when he was struck in the head with a piece of concrete. Security camera footage captured the assault.
The victim of the Serra attack was hospitalized for a week but ultimately succumbed to his injuries, with his death confirmed on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. This brings the total number of suspected victims to seven. The coordinator of the Civil Police in Teixeira de Freitas, Delegate Ricardo Amaral, stated that the suspect is expected to be transferred back to Bahia in the coming days to face charges.
Based on reporting from g1.