Itapema police arrest murder fugitive and investigate downtown shooting

On July 4, 2026, the Military Police in Itapema stopped a vehicle on the BR‑101 and arrested a man wanted by the Rio Grande do Sul justice system for four homicides and linked to a criminal organization. The suspect repeatedly used false identities; after verification, officers confirmed the arrest and took him to the civil police station.

The following day, July 5, 2026, another homicide was reported in the Alto São Bento neighborhood of Itapema. Police and emergency services found a man dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators seized two firearms and ammunition from the victim’s residence and used surveillance footage to identify three suspects who fled in a stolen Ford Ka and later used a Ford Fiesta to escape toward Greater Florianópolis. Searches by the Military Police and municipal guard remain ongoing, and the Police Civil will continue the investigation.