A Brazilian man is accused of murdering a retired French doctor, who had been financially supporting him, after their romantic relationship began during the pandemic.
Altamiro Rocha dos Santos, a Brazilian craftsman from Rio Grande do Sul, is identified as the perpetrator of the femicide of 73-year-old Chantal Etiennette Dechaume, a retired French doctor, in João Pessoa, Brazil. They began their relationship during the pandemic, with Santos reportedly receiving financial support from Dechaume, who received a substantial pension from abroad. Following the homicide, which police state was committed in her apartment, Santos allegedly transported her body in a suitcase and sought assistance from a homeless man to incinerate it.
The crime has raised significant attention, particularly due to the nature of their relationship, where Dechaume had been supportive of Santos both emotionally and financially. Local police detail how Santos had no fixed income, relying on Dechaume's pension, which was approximately 40,000 Brazilian reais monthly. This dynamic led to questions about the complexities of dependence and violence in relationships, especially considering the extreme measure he took following the crime.
The discovery of Dechaume's charred body in a suitcase was made on November 11 in the Manaíra neighborhood, leading to immediate investigations. The circumstances of her death and the nature of her relationship with Santos necessitate a deeper examination of domestic violence and femicide, drawing national and possibly international attention to the vulnerabilities faced by women in relationships marked by economic disparity and power imbalance.
