A goal keeper convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend and feeding her to his rottweilers has been marched back to prison.
Bruno Fernandes de Souza, 41 years old, travelled without legal permission to play for Vasco-AC in a Copa do Brasil away game in February.
That constituted a breach of the Brazilian stopper’s release conditions, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in March.
But he spent thenexttwo months on the run before cops finally arrested him in SaoPedroda Aldeia last week.
The former Flamengo goalkeeper – known as Bruno was transferred to Frederica Marques prison in Rio de Janeiro on May 8.
Bruno was one of the most famous players in Brazil and being lined up for a move to AC Milan when he was arrested in 2010.
Three years later he was convicted of homicide, kidnapping, unlawful detention and concealment of a body, and banged up for 22 years.
The incident relates to his ex-girlfriend model and actress Eliza Samudio and a dispute over their son, Bruninho, who was born after an extramarital affair.
Samudio sued Bruno for child support and went missing without a trace in 2010. The court heard how Bruno conspired with friends who murdered Samudio and fed her body to his dogs.
Bruno was briefly freed in 2017, after serving just over six years of his sentence, until the courts got round to hearing his appeal.
He was immediately snapped up by second-tier club Boa Esporte and handed a two-year contract which sparked national uproar. His release was overturned two months later and he served another two years at a closed prison before transitioning to a semi-open regime in 2019.
By 2023, Bruno had been granted conditional release under specific restrictions – one of which he violated by travelling to northernBrazilfor February’s Copa do Brasil game.
And now he is back behind bars – but Samudio’s mother, Sonia, is in no mood to celebrate. She told local media: “I regret it because he did not need to be going through this. If he had complied with all the measures, he would not need to live through this moment.
“I leave a message to other people: do not give up on justice. It may take time, but justice exists.
“Now it is for justice to do its part. I still believe in the judiciary.
“The new arrest will not bring back my daughter’s body. The best thing would be if I had my daughter’s body. My daughter was discarded like rubbish.”
Bruno made his name at Atletico Mineiro and Flamengo before going to prison, and has played for various lower-league sides since he was first released.