A triple murder investigation is underway after three women who had gone out to take a dog for a walk along a beach in Ilheus, southern Bahia, in Brazil, were later found dead
Three women walk along beach shortly before they disappeared
Three women were filmed walking along a tourist beach before later vanishing and being found dead with stab wounds.
The incident happened in Ilheus, in the south of Bahia state, Brazil, after they were last seen on Praia dos Milionarios on the evening of Friday, August 15. Their bodies were discovered the following day in a nearby wooded area. Security camera footage shows teachers Alexsandra Oliveira Suzart, 45, and Maria Helena do Nascimento Bastos, 41, together with Maria Helena’s daughter, student Mariana Bastos da Silva, 20, walking barefoot on the sand near beach huts as joggers pass them by.
They are seen chatting and strolling with the dog before moving out of frame. The trio were neighbours and lived in a condominium about 200 metres from the beach.
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They had set out from their homes to take the dog, which belonged to Mariana, for a walk but the next day, search teams found the bodies of the three women with knife wounds in a thicket close to the seafront. The dog was still alive, tied to a coconut tree nearby.
The Bahia Civil Police confirmed the victims’ families reported them missing on the same evening they vanished and that homicide officers in Ilheus are leading the investigation. Forensic teams collected genetic material at the scene.
Authorities said security footage from the area is being seized and analysed. As of the latest update, no arrests have been made.
Local officials and unions have declared three days of mourning. The Association of Professional Teachers of Ilheus described the killings as a crime that “deeply shocks and saddens the families and the entire school community” and vowed to press for a swift investigation.
The City of Ilheus said in a statement that the two teachers had “dedicated their lives to public service, leaving a legacy of commitment and dedication.” Meanwhile, a local app driver, William Santos Souza, 36, went to police after rumours spread on social media falsely naming him as a suspect.
He, reported the Daily Goat, said: “I came here to file a report and say I have nothing to do with it. I don’t even know the victims.” He added that he has received threats and messages and that his family are in despair over the false claims.
On Sunday, August 17, dozens of women marched in Ilheus dressed in white and carrying signs reading “Stop killing us” and “They silenced three of us.”
Funeral services were held the same day. Maria Helena and her daughter Mariana were buried in the town of Aurelino Leal, while Alexsandra was laid to rest in Vitoria da Conquista. The Bahia Women’s Secretariat has pledged to monitor the case and said it is committed to combating gender-based violence.