A 58-year-old man, suspected of murdering a 46-year-old woman in Alenquer, has been apprehended in the Czech Republic, where he fled following the incident, according to the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) in a statement released on Tuesday.
Investigators noted that the victim’s body was discovered on April 8 near the Estrada Nacional 1 in the area of Marés.
Both the suspect and the victim were foreigners leading a “precarious and itinerant” lifestyle, having arrived in Portugal in 2024.
The PJ reported that an autopsy revealed the woman had been “suffocated to death using physical force.”
Upon uncovering this information, authorities attempted to locate the suspect, who had a relationship with the victim, but found he had escaped to the Czech Republic.
In “close police collaboration” with Czech authorities, the PJ stated it was able to locate the suspect and conduct his arrest.
Authorities are currently awaiting the extradition of the alleged criminal back to Portugal.
