Brazilian pageant star Ana Luiza Mateus suffered a fatal fall from her apartment building, and her boyfriend, who was arrested in connection with her death, was found dead in his jail cell shortly thereafter, according to reports.
The 29-year-old beauty queen was found dead Wednesday, after she plunged from the 13th floor of her apartment building in the city of in Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, CNN Brasil reported. Authorities discovered her body in the service area and her boyfriend, Endreo Cunha, was later detained on suspicion of femicide.
Shortly after his arrest, Cunha was discovered dead in his cell. According to local outlet g1, authorities suspect he died by suicide through asphyxiation but an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Few other details about the case have been provided, including what occurred in the moments leading up to Mateus’ death. Several witnesses told local outlets they saw the pair fighting the day before, but it was not clear what about.
Mateus, a psychologist with more than 40,000 Instagram followers, was supposed to represent the state of Bahia in the Miss Cosmo Brazil pageant later this year.
“We received the news with sadness and dismay. We stand in solidarity with her family and friends,” the pageant wrote in a tribute shared on social media.
“In light of the details surrounding this incident, the case calls for urgent reflection on violence against women in Brazil,” it continued. “Femicide must not be treated merely as a statistic or a routine occurrence. It is a reality that must be confronted with seriousness, commitment, and collective action.”