The family of the late Jefferson Machado, the famous soap opera star from the religious telenovela, “Reis”, has confirmed the discovery of his body in a trunk buried in the backyard of a home in Rio de Janeiro.
Machado had gone missing on January 26th in the Campo Grande neighborhood, with the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State issuing an alert to the public on February 9th. It is believed that Machado’s family reported him missing upon finding his eight dogs alone, and his mother indicated to authorities that the text messages she had received from him at the end of January seemed strange.
The family’s attorney’s statement, made public, revealed signs of strangulation, detailing, “Preliminary information indicates that the actor’s body was found in a trunk, buried in a hole of considerable depth. This situation deeply saddens us and indignant in the face of the suffering faced by Jeff. My commitment as a lawyer is to seek tirelessly for truth and justice. It is my responsibility to ensure that everyone involved in this brutal crime is held accountable and punished, and that Jeff’s family finds the support they need to get through this very painful time.”
The Instagram account of the late actor, now managed by a family friend, posted a tribute to him and stated, “Jefferson was brutally murdered by jealous, evil and of course, unscrupulous people.” A celebration of life was held for Machado this past Saturday, yet no arrests have been reported by local police.