The São Roque do Pico court in the Azores this Monday began hearing the case of a man suspected of killing two friends and burning their bodies last September on the island of Terceira.
The trial began this Monday at 14:00 in the court of São Roque do Pico in the Azores and will continue on Tuesday at 9:30.
The accused is in pre-trial detention in Horta prison on the island of Faial.
Antonio Carvalho, the defendant’s lawyer, told reporters before the hearing that the defense would present evidence that the prosecution “has no legs.”
According to the lawyer, the suspect will testify during the trial and “initially declare his innocence.”
According to the prosecution, two of the man’s friends, Germans by nationality, disappeared after visiting the area around the suspect’s house, which they were interested in.
The detainee is allegedly accused of committing five crimes: two of qualified murder, two of desecration of a corpse and one of possession of a prohibited weapon.
The suspect’s wife, who had ID and residence permits, is also a defendant and will be charged with two alleged offenses of desecration of a corpse and one of possession of a prohibited weapon.
A 61-year-old man was arrested and detained on “suspicion of double murder and desecration of a corpse” on the island of Pico in the Azores, the Judicial Police (PJ) said at the time.
The SP said in a statement that the investigation began on September 11, 2022, “following the report of the disappearance of two men, aged 74 and 65, both residents of Pico Island.”
“Evidence was collected that the two missing men were victims of crimes related to murder, with the subsequent concealment of the bodies, while suspicion fell on a person of foreign nationality living near the parking lot of the vehicle used by the victims,” the source said.
According to police, during a search of the suspect’s home, “two legal firearms were seized, as well as several illegal weapons, namely a boxer with a blade attached to it, several daggers and a silencer compatible with the weapon.” fire.”