Gloves were left next to the body of a businessman who died with 16 stab wounds

Antônio Francisco dos Santos Sousa disappeared after leaving family at home. Car with blood stains was found on a road.

Malu Barreto and Andressa Lopes
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The body of the businessman, Antônio Francisco dos Santos Sousa, who had been missing since Sunday night (31), was found dead with around 16 stab wounds, on a football field, in Cacimba Velha, east zone of Teresina, on the morning of this Monday (01).

The businessman’s car, a Hillux pickup truck, was found on the road that connects the municipalities of José de Freitas and União, around four kilometers from the place where the body was found.

Delegate Danúbio Dias, from the Department of Homicide and Personal Protection, reported that the victim was without clothes and wrapped in a household sheet and next to the body, there were gloves. The sheet and gloves were seized and must undergo tests to detect biological material for DNA verification. The lesions were spread across the body, chest, face, forearms and hands.

There were patches of blood on the doors and inside the vehicle and according to the crime scene, according to the police chief, there is evidence that the victim was murdered where the body was.

“Possibly, while the victim was being attacked, blood ended up splashing on the car doors, but the fact is that there was no evidence that the victim was murdered inside the car, because there were no large blood stains. He even tried to fight the attacker or attackers. We cannot, at this point, rule out the possibility that there were more than one. It appears the victim was struck in the head, but the assault will be confirmed by the coroner,” he explained.

The businessman had arrived from a Holy Week trip, left his family at home and went to drop off other family members on Sunday night (31) and did not return home. The case is being investigated by the DHPP.