Eliza's son, Bruninho Samudio, has followed in his father's footsteps and become a promising young soccer talent. In July 2024, he was signed by Botafogo for their youth categories, where he plays as a goalkeeper. Most recently, he was called up for the third time to represent the Brazil under-15 national team.
The passport, issued in 2006, had a validity until 2011. It contained a stamp showing entry into Portugal on May 5, 2007, but there was no exit stamp. The man turned the document over to the Consulate-General of Brazil in Lisbon, which confirmed receipt and sent it to Brasília to be made available to the family.
On June 4, 2010, Eliza disappeared from her apartment in Rio de Janeiro. Her mother, Rosângela Samudio, reported her missing when Eliza failed to show up for a scheduled visit with their son. An investigation was launched, but it was hindered by police corruption and incompetence.
The case was heavily reported, acting as a "discourse-event" that revealed deep societal values regarding violence and power structures.
In 2013, Bruno was convicted of ordering the murder of Eliza Samudio. eliza samudio
The trial was a media circus, the likes of which Brazil had not seen since the murder of Daniella Perez in 1992. Bruno, initially arrogant and denying everything, eventually watched as his accomplices made plea deals in exchange for lighter sentences.
When Eliza failed to return to Rio de Janeiro, her mother, Sônia, knew something was wrong. She went to the police to report her daughter missing, but the investigation was initially tepid. However, the case took a massive turn when authorities noticed another victim: Eliza’s 4-month-old son, Bruninho. The baby had also vanished.
The legal proceedings were a sensation in Brazil, drawing intense media scrutiny. In 2013, Bruno Fernandes was convicted of ordering Eliza's murder, as well as for kidnapping and hiding her body. He was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison. Other individuals, including Bruno’s friends and family members, were also convicted for their various roles in the conspiracy. The case became a focal point for discussions on domestic violence, the treatment of women in Brazilian society, and the perceived impunity sometimes enjoyed by wealthy and famous individuals.
That year, Eliza met Bruno Fernandes de Souza, then the star goalkeeper and captain for Brazil's most popular soccer club, Flamengo. What began as a brief affair quickly became a nightmare after Eliza became pregnant. Eliza's son, Bruninho Samudio, has followed in his
. She alleged that Bruno and his associates kidnapped her and attempted to force her to terminate the pregnancy. After she gave birth to their son, Bruninho, she disappeared in June 2010. Investigation and Conviction
Bruno also infamously ordered the murder of his own infant son, Bruninho, to eliminate any further claims against him. However, after only being paid for his ex-partner's murder, the hired killers instead abandoned the four-month-old in a slum, where he was later found alive. The young boy now goes by Bruninho Samudio and is a rising star in the Botafogo football club's youth academy, often playing as a goalkeeper, just like his father once did.
The remains one of the most brutal and controversial femicide cases in Brazilian history . Eliza Silva Samudio , a 25-year-old model and actress, was kidnapped and killed on the orders of Bruno Fernandes de Souza (known as Bruno), the captain and star goalkeeper of Flamengo Football Club. The tragedy exposed deep systemic failures in domestic violence protection, media misogyny, and the dark underbelly of celebrity athletic culture in Brazil. The Early Life of Eliza Samudio
Investigation and trial
In 2013, Bruno was sentenced to 22 years in prison for kidnapping, murdering, and hiding the body of Eliza Samudio.
On March 16, 2010, Eliza Samudio gave birth to a son, Bruninho. Almost immediately, a custody battle began. Bruno sought to take the child, claiming Samudio was an unfit mother. Samudio used the media to her advantage, giving an explosive interview to the Brazilian program Caso Aberto in which she detailed Bruno’s threats.
The testimony and evidence revealed that Samudio was taken to Souza’s rural property in Minas Gerais, where she was tortured, strangled, killed, and her body dismembered. Parts of her remains were fed to the goalkeeper's dogs, while other parts were buried in concrete. Her four-month-old son was found alive and eventually placed in the care of his grandmother.