A social media influencer and her boyfriend were found dead on a roadside by a farmer days before she was due to perform at a festival.
The bodies of beauty queen Ulissias Marcelli, 30, and boyfriend Vinícius Souza de Carvalho, 28, were discovered in Porto Seguro, a city in Bahia, northeastern Brazil, on Saturday. Local police said they believe the pair could have been held captive before they were shot and could have died the day before.
Police have launched a probe and are investigating whether their deaths could be related to an alleged debt linked to drug trafficking by criminals in the region.
Festival appearance planned
Ulissias was announced as a presenter at the upcoming Rock Gaya Festival, due to take place on July 25 in the area where the couple were found.
The influencer had around 20,000 followers online and posted videos of her work as a fire performer. She was also known as 'Miss Tattoo' and showed off her gothic style. Ulissias sadly left behind her 13-year-old son.
Tributes from family and festival
Her family and friends paid tribute to the social media personality online. Ulissias's mother wrote: "Go in peace, my loves. You leave an immortal legacy. We will miss you dearly - this is such a heartbreaking loss."
Rock Gaya Festival, in a statement on social media, said: "On Thursday, we joyfully shared that Ulissias would be part of the Rock Gaya Festival as one of our presenters. Today, with profound sadness, we say goodbye to her presence among us. We are still trying to find words for a moment like this. It’s hard to believe that someone who was about to share such a special moment with us has left us so soon."
The influencer's fans also shared their emotional tributes to the 30-year-old under her posts online. One person wrote: "My deepest condolences to the whole family and to the son." Another person said: "Shocked by the news. May she be in a good place." A third fan wrote: "Shocked by the news of her death. My god and her poor son....."
Police have made no arrests in relation to the deaths but said the investigation is ongoing.
