Former Brazilian goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes de Souza was sentenced to 22 years in jail for murdering his girlfriend, only to be released before later appearing in a sick advert promoting a local dog kennel.
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Fernandes de Souza was convicted of the murder of his then-girlfriend Eliza Samudio in 2010 and was handed a 22-year jail sentence.
As reported by the BBC, in 2013, he was jailed for ordering the murder of Samudio and kidnapping their baby son.
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The former Flamengo goalkeeper admitted to knowing that she had been strangled and her remains fed to the dogs, but denied ordering the murder.
Fernandes’ close friend, Luiz Henrique Ferreira Romao and former policeman Marcos Aparecido dos Santos were also charged with Samudio’s murder.
The BBC reported that “she was killed after demanding that Fernandes pay child maintenance for their baby son, prosecutors said”.
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A police report then said she had been strangled, cut apart and fed to dogs, with her body never recovered.
Samudio was lured to a hotel in Rio de Janeiro in June 2010, when she and her son were then abducted and taken to Fernandes' home in Belo Horizonte.
The child was found two weeks later at Fernandes’ ex-wife’s home. The former goalkeeper had earlier been jailed for four-and-a-half years in December 2010 after being found guilty in a separate trial of abducting and assaulting Samudio in 2009.
Fernandes was released on parole in 2017, seven years into his sentence, and even signed for Boa Esporte, but his release was met with outrage before Brazil's Supreme Court said in a statement that it "has revoked its decision suspending his (Fernandes') imprisonment".
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As reported by the Mail, he was granted parole by the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice in 2023 and signed for Orion Futebol Clube.
In 2020, while serving time at a ‘semi-open’ prison, he once again caused outrage when he promoted a dog kennel.
Alongside photographs of him with several dogs he wrote: “Yesterday I had the great pleasure of getting to know an incredible kennel of my Booba's breed. American Bully. I would like to thank @friendsbullkennel for their hospitality and congratulate you on the beautiful animals you have there! The ones in the photo are Estrela and Cristal, and I also took my Booba to meet new friends and play a lot! A very productive encounter!”
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The Sun reported in 2023 that Fernandes announced his intention to become a mental health coach for elite athletes.
Topics: Bruno Fernandes, Brazil, Football
Luke Davies