Human remains found in Brazil during the search for a missing British journalist have been confirmed as his. Dom Phillips and his Brazilian companion Bruno Pereira disappeared on June 5.
Dental records were reportedly used to identify the 57-year-old man, who is originally from Bristol, according to the BBC. Testing to identify a second body is still ongoing to find out if it's 41-year-old Mr Pereira.
Fisherman Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, 41, has confessed to shooting the men and led officers to the human remains he had buried in an area of the Amazon near where the pair disappeared. The discovery of the remains came after a ten-day search, reports PA.
Brazilians authorities have so far arrested two men in relation to the pair’s suspected murders. On Thursday, police said Mr da Costa de Oliveira – the prime suspect – confessed to using a firearm to kill Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira.
More arrests are expected to be made in the coming days. Police gave no immediate explanation of a motive for the killing, but officials earlier suggested that Mr Pereira’s work to stop illegal fishing in an indigenous reserve had angered local fishermen.
The family of Mr Phillips reacted to the news of Mr da Costa de Oliveira’s confession to his murder with heartbreak.
In a brief statement issued by his brother-in-law Paul Sherwood, Phillips’ UK-based loved ones said: “Early this morning we were informed that two bodies have been recovered from a remote location after a confession from one of the men in custody.
“We are heartbroken at the confirmation that Dom and Bruno were murdered and extend our deepest sympathies to Alessandra, Beatriz and the other Brazilian family members of both men.”
Friends and colleagues of the long-time campaigner for the Amazon and its indigenous people also paid tribute to the journalist.
