Police in Brazil have seized a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of stabbing and strangling to death a beautiful university student who had tried to stop him from stealing a motorbike.

The horrific slaying took place on a small farm in a rural area of Curvelo, Brazil, on 4th January.

The teenage suspect was arrested the next day after his brother took him to the police station.

Civil Police said 21-year-old Julia Lacerda Barbosa lived in Sete Lagoas, where she was studying food engineering at the Federal University of Sao Joao del-Rei.

She was visiting her father at his rural property in the community of Gangorra during the holiday period when the killing took place.

Her body was found by her father behind the residence after he returned from weeding fields.

His son’s motorcycle lay a few yards away.

He told police he believes his daughter may have been killed while trying to prevent the bike from being stolen.

Civil Police said the suspect worked on nearby properties and is thought to be involved in crime.

During questioning, he denied wrongdoing, but police said he contradicted himself several times.

He also had a bruise on his neck, they revealed.

Forensic experts found Julia had four stab wounds to her collarbone region, back, and head.

She also had a piece of cloth tied around her neck.

A knife was found near her body.

Military Police found pieces of the motorbike at the scene.

The victim’s body was sent for a post-mortem examination in Curvelo.

The suspect remains in custody.