The wife of murdered Wirral born journalist Dom Phillips said "now we can bring them home and say goodbye with love" after his body was found in the Amazon.
Brazil's justice minister Anderson Torres said remains were found near where Mr Phillips, 57, and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, 41, disappeared on on June 5. Police said a suspect led investigators to the location after confessing to the fatal shooting of the two men.
Alessandra Sampaio, the wife of Bebington -born Mr Phillips, said: “Although we are still awaiting definitive confirmations, this tragic outcome puts an end to the anguish of not knowing Dom and Bruno’s whereabouts. Now we can bring them home and say goodbye with love. Today, we also begin our quest for justice. I hope that the investigations exhaust all possibilities and bring definitive answers on all relevant details as soon as possible.”
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Brazilian authorities said the prime suspect in the case, Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, nicknamed Pelado, told officers he used a firearm to kill the two men. The remains had not yet been positively identified, federal police said, adding other arrests would soon be made in the case.
Detective Eduardo Fontes said Pelado led police to the place where human remains were uncovered on Wednesday. Detective Fontes said: “We would have no way of getting to that spot quickly without the confession.
“We found the bodies three kilometres into the woods." He added rescue teams travelled about one hour and forty minutes on the river and another 25 into the woods to reach the burial spot.
The investigator added the remains are expected to be identified within days, and if confirmed as the missing men, “will be returned to the families of the two”.
LancsLive reported former Conservative prime minister Theresa May insisted the UK must do “everything it can” to press Brazilian authorities to uncover the truth about the disappearances. Mrs May made the plea on Wednesday to Boris Johnson in the House of Commons after police arrested a second suspect in connection with the case.
Mr Johnson replied: “FCDO officials are working closely now with the Brazilian authorities following his disappearance on June 5. The minister responsible has raised the issue repeatedly, the search and rescue efforts, with Brazil’s justice and public security minister and what we told the Brazilians is we stand ready to provide all the support that they may need.”
