Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva
Topics: Crime, Social Media, World News
Liv Bridge
Topics: Crime, Social Media, World News
Reports are emerging from Brazil that the husband of a well-known influencer has been arrested following her mysterious death.
Social media content creator, Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva, tragically died after falling from the 10th floor of a high-rise apartment building in São Paulo on November 29.
The 25-year-old's body was reportedly found dead outside the complex after neighbors called police after hearing screams.
Local news outlets have since reported her husband, businessman Alex Leandro Bispo dos Santos, has been arrested on a temporary warrant while authorities investigate a possible femicide.
As per UN Women, femicide (or feminicide, as it is referred to in some contexts) is defined as an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation. It is different from homicide, where the motivation may not be gender-related.
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Brazilian cops claim 40-year-old Santos is accused of pushing Silva from the residence they shared.
As per O Globo, neighbors allegedly heard the mom-of-one scream and a loud noise as they made calls to police and emergency services.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers said they encountered Santos embracing the woman's body in his arms, and he told them she had taken her own life after an argument.
The authorities determined the death as suspicious before the Homicide and Personal Protection Department launched an investigation.
They reportedly found footage inside the apartment and the complex, which allegedly contradicted Santos' testimony.
Security footage seen by the outlet reportedly shows the man attacking Silva in a parking lot.
During an alleged altercation in an elevator, the young woman appears to be pulled out of the room after Santos appears to try to grab her neck.
Santos could then be seen looking distressed, apparently sitting with his hands on his head, reports PEOPLE.
A week prior to his arrest, the businessman reportedly attended Silva's funeral in Ceará, Brazil, during which witnesses claimed he hugged her coffin.
The late star amassed a following of more than 6,000 on Instagram and 22,000 on TikTok, where she shared beauty and makeup tips as well as travel and lifestyle content.
In the comments, dozens of her fans and friends have left touching tributes to the woman.
"She can no longer speak because her voice was silenced by a man who claimed to love her,” her aunt reportedly wrote on social media, according to Brazilian outlet O Globo.
The relative also expresses 'indignation' while accusing Santos of being 'possessive'.
"Today, as her aunt, my heart is heavy, filled with indignation and so is her mother and our entire family.
'We demand justice for Katiane Gomes."
Silva was born in a rural district of Crateús, north-east Brazil, according to local news reports, where she grew up.
Her employment included working in a restaurant and a supermarket before later relocating to São Paulo, where it is believed she met and married Santos.
Brazilian cops are now assessing the footage as well as phone records and witness statements as part of their investigation into whether Silva's fatal fall was accidental or the result of a possible altercation.
Police haven't charged anyone, as the investigation remains ongoing.