Eliza Samudio Today

In the world of true crime, some cases are tragic, some are mysterious, and some are pure horror. The story of Eliza Samudio is a devastating cocktail of all three.

On June 7, 2010, prosecutors allege that Bruno snapped. He strangled Eliza with a plastic rope. But even that wasn’t the end.

On June 4, 2010, Eliza drove to Rio de Janeiro. She left her son with a friend. She was told Bruno would take her to a house to meet his lawyers. Instead, she was taken to a rented shack in the suburb of Vargem Grande. According to the confession of his accomplices (notably his cousin, Bruno’s version of events shifted constantly), the moment Eliza entered the shack, the nightmare began. Eliza Samudio

After killing Eliza, Bruno did not kill his son. Instead, he forced Eliza’s cousin (who had been duped into helping) to take the then-four-month-old infant and abandon him in a favela. The cousin, however, had a change of heart. She left the baby at a home in the interior of Minas Gerais state.

It was a lie.

In February 2010, Eliza gave birth to a son, Bruninho. Bruno initially seemed to accept his paternity. He asked Eliza to meet him in Rio de Janeiro to settle child support. It seemed like a step toward resolution.

The case went cold until one of Bruno’s accomplices, a former police officer named Marcos Aparecido dos Santos (known as "Bola"), was arrested for an unrelated crime. He broke. He confessed everything. In the world of true crime, some cases

She was held captive for several days. She was tortured. She was beaten.