On Jan. 6, Brazilian police accused a 16-year-old boy of allegedly killing journalist Laércio de Souza in Salvador, Bahia, reported Correio 24 horas.
The adolescent confessed to police that he shot the radio reporter in revenge after Souza reported him to the Military Police for a crime in the area. Despite the boy's confession, authorities are skeptical that this is the real motive behind the killing and plan to continue the investigation, reported Tribuna da Bahia.
The boy also named an accomplice, who was detained by police, and revealed the location of the gun used to shoot Souza. Supposedly, the firearm was thrown into a river; a team was sent to the scene to try and recover it, according to Agência Estado.
Souza, who had been receiving threats, was shot to death on Jan. 3, minutes after receiving a threatening cell phone call. Initial investigations indicate that the crime was committed by drug traffickers unhappy with the reporter's social activism in the community.
The crime caused an international outcry as groups like Reporters Without Borders and the International Association of Radio Broadcasters joined national press groups like the Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters in denouncing the attack and urging a thorough investigation.
