Mallorcan murdered in Brazil: Prime suspect identified

David Peregrina, a Mallorcan murdered in Brazil, with his wife Erika

The couple ran a restaurant on an island in Porto Seguro.

Andrew EdePalma09/12/2023 11:44

Police in Brazil investigating the murder of Mallorcan David Peregrina and his wife, Erika da Silva, have named a prime suspect.

Eliandro Loureço Menezes, who used to work for the couple, had an agreement by which he was to receive land on the island that Peregrina bought and which was where he established a restaurant. That agreement, say the police, was broken. He went to the restaurant on November 24 in order to settle the debt.

Eliandro's son went to the police on Thursday and informed them that his father had confessed to the shooting of the couple. He was arrested as an accomplice.

According to the police, Eliandro has a history as a bank robber. He used the island to hide weapons and drugs. He worked for David Peregrina when Peregrina was serving a sentence in Palma for fraud; he was taking care of the island. His reward for this included being given part of the island.

The island was bought for the equivalent of 190,000 euros. The police believe that it was paid for with money from a fraud with which David Peregrina was involved when he worked for a bank in Mallorca. The land and properties, the Brazilian media are reporting, were in the name of Erika da Silva.