This article provides a bit more detail of the events:
"Eyewitness says suspect took a shotgun and ‘cartridge belt’ when he went after English indigenist and journalist
Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira disappeared in Vale do Javari last Sunday
By Daniel Biasetto - Special Envoy — Atalaia do Norte
09/06/2022 04:30 Updated37 minutes ago
A key witness stated that he saw Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira , known as Pelado, load a shotgun and make a belt of ammunition and cartridges shortly after the indigenist Bruno Pereira and the English journalist Dom Phillips left the São Rafael community for Atalaia do North, last Sunday morning. GLOBO had access to the report.
According to the witness’ narrative, Pelado, whom he referred to as a “very dangerous man”, had already promised to “settle accounts” with Bruno and stated that he would “exchange shots” with him as soon as the indigenist showed up at the scene.
Shortly after Bruno and Phillips left the community, a colleague of Pelado’s was seen on his boat with the engine running at idle, waiting for him, and another person lying on the boat, close to where Bruno and Phillips allegedly disappeared. The witness also said that, just below the Itaquaí River, Pelado was seen again on the boat, this time with four more people passing by at high speed. After that, he was not seen anymore. She also said that “there is no doubt” that he and the others went after the boat to do “something bad” against the boat of the indigenist and the journalist.
The witness’ report, who should be placed in a protection program, coincides with GLOBO’s revelation that military police officers who arrested Pelado on Tuesday confirmed that the suspect’s boat was seen chasing the boat of the indigenist and the journalist. shortly after they left the São Rafael community. Pelado was arrested and brought to the city on his own speedboat.
Witnesses reported to the police that the suspect’s boat, seized and brought with him to the city, passed at high speed behind Bruno and Phillips as soon as they left the São Rafael community, on a previously scheduled visit, so that the indigenist could have a meeting. with the community leader nicknamed “Barbecue”, who is Pelado’s uncle, with the objective of consolidating joint work between riverside people and indigenous people in the surveillance of the territory, which was greatly affected by the intense invasions. “Barbecue” was detained on Monday night to provide clarification as a witness and released shortly thereafter.
The two disappeared were traveling with a new boat, with a 40 HP engine and 70 liters of gasoline, enough for the trip, and 07 empty drums of fuel. The naked boat has a 60 HP engine and is faster.
The two arrived at their destination (Lago do Jaburu) on June 3, 2022, at 7:25 pm. On the 5th, the two would return early to the city of Atalaia do Norte. However, before that, they stopped in the São Rafael community, on a previously scheduled visit, so that the indigenist Bruno Pereira could hold a meeting with the community member nicknamed “Churrasco”, who is Pelado’s uncle, with the objective of consolidating joint work between riverside people and indigenous people in the surveillance of the territory, greatly affected by the intense invasions.
In the São Rafael community, the pair were going to talk to the leader, “Barbecue”, but they were greeted by his wife, who offered them “a sip of coffee and a loaf of bread”, according to the guards. This all took place around 4am on Sunday.
According to Univaja leaders, the two traveled along the Itaquaí River with the aim of visiting the Indigenous Surveillance team located near the town called Lago do Jaburu (near the Funai Surveillance Base on the Ituí River), so that the journalist to visit the place and do some interviews with the indigenous people.
— At 4 pm, another search team left Tabatinga, in a larger vessel, returning to the same place, but again no trace was found. It is worth mentioning that the indigenist Bruno Pereira is an experienced person who knows the region well, as he was the Regional Coordinator of Funai de Atalaia do Norte for years — says Univaja lawyer Eliésio Marubo.
Bruno Araújo was a constant target of threats for the work he had been doing together with the indigenous people against invaders in the region, fishermen, prospectors and loggers. The Javari Valley is the region with the highest concentration of uncontacted peoples in the world."
https://oglobo.globo.com/brasil/noticia/2022/06/testemunha-ocular-diz-que-suspeito-levou-espingarda-e-cinto-de-cartuchos-ao-ir-atras-de-indigenista-e-jornalista-ingles.ghtml?_ga=2.79932820.2083350015.1654797355-10378955.1654797355
