A man suspected of killing his partner and trying to pass off her death as an accident has been arrested at her funeral in Brazil.

Rogerio Botelho, 23, was arrested at the wake of Juliana Ferraz do Nascimento, 23, in the Brazilian municipality of Jundiai on 6th December.

The police arrested him as he was signing funeral paperwork.

Botelho had previously told the police that they had been at a country house celebrating his great-grandmother’s birthday the day before Nascimento’s death.

He told the police that the two consumed alcohol and took drugs at the party.

The young man told the police that the pair returned home and he ate something before going to bed while Nascimento had a bath.

Botelho told the police that he woke up around 4.30 am and realised that Nascimento was still in the bathroom.

He said that he saw water gushing from under the bathroom door and down the stairs.

Botelho claimed that when he tried to open the door, he realised it was locked and he received no response from his partner.

He said he called the young woman’s brother, who went to the house and helped him break down the door.

An ambulance was called and medics took Nascimento’s dead body away for an autopsy.

The autopsy found several injuries and signs of strangulation on Nascimento’s body, incompatible with Botelho’s testimony.

Botelho was taken to prison and accused of femicide and procedural fraud.

The police will hear testimony from the couple’s relatives and friends over the coming days.

Officers are also investigating reports that the young woman suffered domestic violence.

Nascimento’s body was buried on 7th December.

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