RYE, New Hampshire – An ex-military police officer convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to over 200 years in prison for his role in a 2015 Brazilian massacre has been apprehended in New Hampshire, according to immigration officials.
Antônio José de Abreu Vidal Filho, 29, was the target of a global alert known as an Interpol Red Notice after being found guilty of 11 murders and handed a nearly 276-year prison sentence in June. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Boston declared his arrest on Wednesday without divulging further details on his capture or activities in New Hampshire.
Vidal Filho, alongside three other military police officers, was found guilty by a Brazilian criminal court for the killing of 11 people, three attempted homicides, and torture in the impoverished suburbs of Fortaleza, the capital of the Ceara state. He attended his trial remotely after fleeing to the U.S. in 2019, as reported by online news site G1.
The incidents, known as the “Curio Massacre,” occurred in November 2015 following the death of a police officer in the Fortaleza neighborhood of Curio. In total, approximately 20 police officers are currently facing trial for their involvement in the massacre.
The Interpol Red Notice, which was issued for Vidal Filho, is an international alert that provides information on fugitives charged with or convicted of serious crimes who have fled prosecution or the serving of their sentence. It acts as a global wanted notice for individuals involved in such crimes.