Jefferson Cury: Multimillionaire farmer's sons arrested on suspicion of ordering his murder
The two sons of an 83-year-old multimillionaire farmer have been arrested on suspicion of ordering his murder to inherit his fortune.
Brothers Fernando Alves Cury and Eduardo Alves Cury were seized on October 29 alongside four others accused of planning and carrying out the killing of their father, businessman and landowner Jefferson Cury, who was shot dead near his property in Quirinopolis, Brazil.
The Civil Police said the crime was motivated by greed after Jefferson decided to transfer his fortune of about 1bn Brazilian reals (£141m) fortune into a holding company that would remove his sons from the line of inheritance.
The signing of the new will was scheduled for November 29, 2023, one day after he was murdered.
Jefferson and his lawyer were ambushed around 10.20pm on November 28, 2023 near one of his rural properties.
The farmer was shot in the face and died at the scene, while his 40-year-old lawyer survived gunshot wounds to the head, jaw, and hand.
One of the accomplices reportedly shouted “Now the debt is paid” after the attack, referring to a 1.7m real (£241,000) debt owed by a farmhand’s son to the victim.
Police Chief Adelson Candeo said Jefferson was a humble and simple man who lived without personal luxuries despite his fortune. But he often argued with his sons who felt entitled to his money and liked to splurge on extravagant items.
The brothers had each inherited millions from their mother when she passed away, but continued demanding more from Jefferson.
Candeo said: “They showed no respect or concern for their father’s well-being. And it wasn’t indifference, they actually treated their father with hatred. They constantly threatened him, shouted at him, and demanded money all the time.”
According to Candeo, the sons showed no emotion over their father’s death and did not attend his funeral. He added that one of them began signing inheritance documents before the police had even finished examining the crime scene.
Investigators said six people were arrested during the police operation, including a real estate broker and three long-time employees of the victim.
According to investigators, the broker expected to earn at least 50m reals (£7m) from property sales following the farmer’s death. A seventh suspect, believed to be the gunman who fired the fatal shot, remains unidentified and at large. The investigation remains ongoing.
Story: NewsX