São Paulo Police Arrest Three PCC Suspects Accused of Ordering Ruy Ferraz Fontes’ Assassination

Overview

• Police executed five temporary arrest warrants and 13 search orders on January 13 across Jundiaí, São Paulo’s south zone, Mongaguá, Praia Grande, Carapicuíba, Barueri and Mairinque.
• Detained suspects were identified as Fernando Gonçalves dos Santos (Azul) in Jundiaí, Marcio Serapião de Oliveira (Velhote) in Interlagos and Manoel Ribeiro Teixeira (Manoelzinho) in Mongaguá.
• Investigators say the trio are PCC members tied to an operational cell and acted in planning and logistics, with officials noting their past as bank robbers previously arrested by Fontes.
• Forensic leads include suspects’ fingerprints on vehicles used in the crime, including a Jeep Renegade stolen in March and kept in Mongaguá before being used in the getaway.
• Two suspects remain at large, including Pedro Luiz da Silva Moraes (Chacal), who authorities report may have fled to Bolivia, as analysts review seized phones, computers and documents to map the chain of command.