Brazilian authorities have announced that a Colombian fish trader has been implicated in the planning of the murders of Indigenous advocate Bruno Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips in the Amazon rainforest in 2022.
While the police statement did not explicitly mention the accused, sources indicate that it is Ruben Dario da Silva Villar, who is alleged to have provided the ammunition used in the killings and assisted in the concealment of the bodies.
Da Silva Villar has consistently denied any involvement in the crime and has been incarcerated since July 2022, shortly after Pereira and Phillips were fatally shot while navigating the Itaquai River.

Investigations by federal police have revealed that da Silva Villar was funding an illegal fishing operation within the Javari Valley Indigenous Territories, an area inhabited by thousands of Indigenous people, including various uncontacted tribes.
The police assert that the murders stemmed from Pereira’s commitment to safeguarding environmental regulations in the area.
According to officials, “The victim was devoted to promoting environmental preservation and protecting Indigenous rights.” Dom Phillips was with Pereira to conduct research for a book about the Amazon, which is set to be published after his passing.

At the time of his death, Pereira had previously served as an official with Brazil’s Indigenous agency, although he was on leave and working as a consultant for a local Indigenous association, Univaja.
Over the span of the two-year investigation, nine individuals have faced charges in connection with the case. Among them are Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira and Jefferson da Silva Lima, who have admitted to the murders while asserting that they acted in self-defense.
A court has determined that both men will stand trial before a jury.