Three women have been found dead with stab wounds after they were filmed walking on a tourist beach in Brazil. The victims were last seen on Praia dos Milionarios in Ilheus, in the south of Bahia state, on the evening of Friday, August 15, before their bodies were discovered the following day in a nearby wooded area.
The women were identified as teachers Alexsandra Oliveira Suzart, 45, and Maria Helena do Nascimento Bastos, 41, along with Maria Helena's daughter, student Mariana Bastos da Silva, 20. Security camera footage shows the trio walking barefoot on the sand, chatting and strolling with a dog, as joggers pass them by. They were neighbours, living in a condominium about 200 metres from the beach.
They had set out to take Mariana's dog for a walk, but the next day search teams found their bodies 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 that the families had reported the women missing the same evening, and homicide officers in Ilheus are leading the investigation. Forensic teams have collected genetic material at the scene, and security footage is being analysed. No arrests have been made.
Local officials and unions have declared three days of mourning. The Association of Professional Teachers of Ilheus called the killings a crime that 'deeply shocks and saddens the families and the entire school community' and pressed for a swift investigation. The City of Ilheus said the two teachers had 'dedicated their lives to public service, leaving a legacy of commitment and dedication.'
On Sunday, dozens of women marched in Ilheus dressed in white, carrying signs reading 'Stop killing us' and 'They silenced three of us.' Funerals were held the same day, with Maria Helena and Mariana buried in Aurelino Leal and Alexsandra in Vitoria da Conquista. Meanwhile, a local app driver, William Santos Souza, 36, went to police after false rumours on social media named him as a suspect. He said: 'I came here to file a report and say I have nothing to do with it. I don't even know the victims,' adding that he had received threats and that his family were in despair. The Bahia Women's Secretariat has pledged to monitor the case and said it is committed to combating gender-based violence.
