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A Brazilian woman has been arrested in connection with the murder of an American businessman who went on holiday to Rio de Janeiro earlier this month.
Letícia Clara Bento da Silva, 23, was arrested on Monday. Police suspect she robbed and murdered D’wayne Antonio Morris, 43, in a Copacabana apartment, according to Metrópoles, a Brazilian online newspaper.
Officials discovered the man’s body on August 8 after he arrived in the country the previous day. It’s thought that da Silva, along with another unidentified woman, drugged Morris and his friend with GHB, a depressant before robbing them.
The drug caused Morris to convulse and foam at the mouth, the outlet reported. The drug can lead to loss of consciousness and respiratory depression if it’s taken in large doses, potentially resulting in death.
Such crimes are called “Goodnight Cinderella” scams in Brazil.
Officials said that Morris and his friend, who survived the attack, met da Silva while out at a bar in the city’s Lapa neighborhood. Morris and the two women then went to an apartment Morris had rented during his stay. The friend began to feel unwell and went to another location when he encountered police. He told them he felt dizzy and unwell, the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, Morris and the women arrived at the apartment past midnight. Two hours later, they were spotted on surveillance footage leaving the apartment in a black vehicle.
Da Silva’s criminal record stated that she had been accused of similar crimes in the past. She was sentenced to temporary detention on Monday and taken into the country’s prison system.
Police are asking for the public’s help to identify the other person involved.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family for their loss and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” The US Consulate in Rio de Janeiro said, according to the New York Post.
“We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigations regarding the cause of death. Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”
Morris’s LinkedIn states he was the president of Blue Waters Consulting based in Minnesota.
Tamatha Richman, Morris’ significant other, started a GoFundMe to help with the costs of repatriation, funeral expenses and support for her family as they grieve the man’s loss. She said the family intends to bury him in Jamaica in his family’s land.
So far, it has raised $30,000 out of a $50,000 goal.
“D’Wayne was a kind, adventurous spirit who brought joy to everyone around him,” Richman wrote. “He touched the lives of so many.”
