Family of Brazilian woman killed in Bolivia criticizes local Police response
06 de May de 2025
By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium
MANAUS (AM) – Relatives of Brazilian national Jenife do Socorro Almeida da Silva, 36, who was found dead in her apartment in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, claim that the local police have shown “little willingness” to investigate the case, one month after the crime. The family’s attorney stated to CENARIUM that the police failed to follow investigative protocols, leading to contamination of the crime scene.
The medical student, originally from Santana, Amapá, was discovered dead on April 2. Local authorities are investigating the case as a suspected femicide, with the primary suspect being 16-year-old J.D.R.F, who is currently detained.
Bolivian attorney Darly Franco told CENARIUM that the evidence collected by the police was compromised. “During the investigation, an autopsy was conducted, and we are awaiting the forensic medical report. The evidence collected, due to poor police conduct, is not suitable for forensic analysis as it has been contaminated. The investigating police did not follow proper protocols and lack the will to investigate,” the lawyer stated.
According to Franco, a crime scene reconstruction was requested by the defense and scheduled for April 29. However, she claims the police did not attend. “My request was suspended because the forensic experts did not show up, and the police did not follow the protocol. The accused [the detained teenager] was present,” she said. A new reconstruction is set for Wednesday, May 7, at 9 a.m. local time.
The victim’s sister, Jessijeny Almeida, who resides in Amapá, told CENARIUM that the family relies on Franco’s expertise in Bolivia. In Brazil, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) has been contacted for assistance.
“Even with a qualified professional, we are facing many difficulties due to failures by the Bolivian police. Therefore, we are seeking help in Brazil through political channels and the OAB, with Cícero Bordalo, to approach the Inter-American Court of Human Rights,” Jessijeny Almeida stated.
A month after the crime, the family continues to mourn the loss of Jenife, who was in Bolivia to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. “Many sleepless nights, and the suffering continues. The family is deeply shaken; my parents require daily support. My mother’s advanced heart failure has worsened, and my father is undergoing treatment for depression. The children still struggle to accept the sudden loss of their mother and cry frequently,” she added.
Case Background
Jenife, a Brazilian medical student, was in Bolivia to complete her medical degree. According to a friend, she had lived in the Bolivian city for six years during her studies. After finishing her classes, she returned to Amapá with her two children but needed to go back to Bolivia to collect her diploma and finalize graduation formalities.
Friends reported that on April 1, Jenife attended a class at the Universidad de Aquino Bolivia (Udabol). Later, she met a young man she had encountered at Plaza 24 de Septiembre, a central landmark in Santa Cruz de La Sierra.
“That day [Monday], Jenife said: ‘I’m not going today because I’m going to the movies with a guy I’m getting to know.’ She didn’t mention who he was,” a friend told the report at the time. That was the last time she was seen before being found dead.
Disappearance
Friends noted that Jenife’s last known activity was being online on WhatsApp that day. The following day, one of her children was also seeking news about her. Concerned, a friend named Andressa went to Jenife’s apartment in the Valle Azul neighborhood, where she learned that the body had been found and taken by authorities.
“It was already 8 p.m. Santa Cruz time. Andressa received the news from the building owner that the body had been taken by the police and was under investigation. Upon arrival, friends Andressa and Iago had to give statements, informed about the meeting, and unlocked her phone. The investigation only proceeded because the phone was unlocked,” another friend, who preferred to remain anonymous, added.
The case gained attention in both Brazil and Bolivia after a suspect was detained: 16-year-old J.D.R.F. Investigations suggest that Jenife met the teenager on the night she was last seen by friends. The Bolivian Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the student died from mechanical asphyxiation, according to a forensic autopsy. A report also indicated that the victim was raped and stabbed.
The Suspect
The 16-year-old, J.D.R.F, has been placed in preventive detention for 45 days. He is the primary suspect in the crime. Following the case’s publicity, another alleged victim came forward, detailing the teenager’s violent history and that of his family.
On December 22, 2024, security camera footage from a residential building corridor in Santa Cruz de La Sierra showed the teenager and his brother, Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira Ferrel, assaulting two women. The complaint was filed by Graciela Román.
Graciela reported that she and her mother went to the location after receiving a call from her sister, who said she was being assaulted by Carlos Eduardo, with whom she had a romantic relationship.
“I arrived at my sister’s place with my mother after receiving a call from her asking for help, saying she was being assaulted by him [Carlos Eduardo] and didn’t want to hand over the baby. Soon after, his mother, brother (J.D.R.F), and aunt arrived. That day, I was assaulted by Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira and by J.D.R.F, both physically and verbally, as well as by their mother and aunt,” she wrote.
Security footage shows Carlos Eduardo, wearing a yellow shirt and black shorts, holding a baby. Graciela, in a gray striped shirt and blue jeans, struggles with her brother-in-law to take the baby from him.
Initially, Carlos pushes Graciela against the wall. Then, a woman in a yellow shirt and blue pants, identified as Graciela’s sister, intervenes to defend her. At that moment, he pushes the victim’s head against the wall.
During the confrontation between Carlos Eduardo and Graciela and her sister, the teenager J.D.R.F appears in the footage wearing a long-sleeved gray shirt and black pants, pushing Graciela and then punching her in the face. He also pushes Graciela’s sister.