After being captured passing through an airport in Lisbon with a suitcase containing chunks of meat, a man has been accused of cannibalism.
It is believed the meat may be the remains of 21-year-old Alan Lopes of Amsterdam. The man detained is Brazilian Begole Mendes Fernandes
According to a person with knowledge of the investigation, Fernandes had a plastic bag with “bits of flesh,” the provenance of which investigators need to determine.
Portuguese media reported that cannibalism was suspected, but a Dutch police official claimed that the Brazilian was just being held as a “suspect of murder or manslaughter”.
Mr. Fernandes was arrested for having false documents, and it was suspected that he was attempting to flee the scene of the alleged murder in Amsterdam.
On Sunday evening, the victim’s body was discovered in the home he shared with his siblings and his mother.
According to the Dutch publication Boevennieuws, Lopes may have taken in Fernandes, who had been “homeless” before meeting him.
Alan Lopes’s sister Kamila Lopes said that the Fernandes used to stop by and spend the night when he had nowhere to stay. Lopes also gave the suspect, money at times, she said.
The woman insists her brother was killed by stabbing and disputes any connection between the homicide and debt collection.
Authorities released a statement saying, “After contact with the authorities of the Netherlands, the country where he resided, it was confirmed that he was wanted on suspicion of committing a crime of murder that occurred on February 26, in Amsterdam, which led the judicial authorities of that country to issue, already yesterday afternoon, a European Arrest Warrant for extradition purposes.”
A bandage and garments containing “traces of blood” were also purportedly found in Fernandes’ possessions.
Due to a hand injury, the police sent him to Lisbon’s Hospital de Santa Maria for evaluation.
The defendant appeared before the Administrative Court of Lisbon for the first time. He is currently being held in custody and is anticipated to be extradited to the Netherlands soon.
