The suspect accused of beheading a man in Lisbon last Wednesday will be held in preventive detention, the most severe measure of restraint.
The suspect did not provide any statements in court.
On Wednesday, August 30, a decapitated body was found at Pátio do Salema, near the Coliseu dos Recreios. The head “was not at the scene.”
It was more than 24 hours before the missing body part was seen, when at approximately 3:30 PM on Thursday, a man “voluntarily” arrived at the Hospital de São José in Lisbon “carrying a human head that he claimed he wanted to hand over.”
“The individual confessed to being related to the situation. He was placed under the custody of the Polícia Judiciária,” specified the PSP to Notícias ao Minuto.
An alert was given at 3:30 PM this Thursday, after an individual went to the police station at the Hospital de São José in Lisbon with the head.
What happened?
In a note published on Friday, August 1, the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) explained that the suspect, a 29-year-old foreigner, was subjected to “a series of investigative actions, the conclusions of which indicated him as the perpetrator of the acts.”
The Polícia Judiciária (PJ) informed today that it arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of qualified homicide, desecration of a corpse, and possession of a prohibited weapon in a crime that took place in Lisbon on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
What is known?
Not many details are available about the victim, but according to the PJ, identification was made the same day the body was discovered. Authorities stated that the victim is a “34-year-old foreign citizen, legally residing in the country.”
It was also explained that “various objects of evidential interest, including the knife presumed to have been used in the commission of the crime” were seized, and “likewise, elements were collected indicating that the human head belonged to the victim.”
The PJ also ruled out, at least for now, any connection to possible drug trafficking, explaining that “the actions appear to be motivated by personal reasons, despite the recent acquaintance between the two being very close to the time of the occurrence. No evidence was collected linking the crime to drug trafficking or consumption,” the note stated, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
Additionally, CNN reported on Thursday that the suspect was an engineering student and that the head was delivered inside a backpack. The victim and aggressor reportedly met on the night of the crime, which is believed to have been motivated by an unresolved disagreement.
