RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – JUNE 14, 2025 Marcelle Júlia Araújo da Silva, an 18-year-old woman who had been missing for two days, was found dead on the rooftop of a house in the Pavuna district in the northern part of the city. Neighbors called the police after being alarmed by a foul odor emanating from the property. She was discovered completely naked, wrapped in plastic, with severe dog bite marks on her face and chest – likely inflicted by pit bulls known to roam the area intermittently, according to residents.
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- Marcelle Júlia Araújo da Silva 1
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- Marcelle Júlia Araújo da Silva 2
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- Marcelle Júlia Araújo da Silva 3
A 35-year-old Chinese man named Zhaohu Qiu, nicknamed “Xau,” was arrested in connection with the murder. He was a longtime family friend and reportedly the last person to see Marcelle alive. He confessed to strangling her following a night where they consumed alcohol and marijuana together. The argument escalated when he confessed his romantic feelings, which she did not reciprocate, and he became obsessed with her.
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- Zhaohu Qiu 1
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- Zhaohu Qiu 2
During questioning, Zhaohu revealed that he had initially planned to dismember her body and dispose of it in a river to erase evidence. Ultimately, however, he left her body on the roof and fled to São Paulo, where authorities captured him.
Police have labeled the case a femicide, meaning a gender-motivated killing often driven by possessiveness or jealousy. The suspect is now held in a high-security prison in Benfica, Rio de Janeiro, awaiting trial.
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