King of Juquira: Social media star Reinaldo da Silva Melo is arrested for 2009 murder - after becoming household name in Brazil
An influencer with more than 300,000 followers was arrested after spending almost 16 years on the run for murder while living in plain sight online.
Reinaldo da Silva Melo, known as the 'King of Juquira', was detained by Civil Police on September 17 in the rural area of Medio Mearim, in the state of Maranhao, Brazil.
He was wanted over the killing of Fabio Gomes da Silva in Paulo Ramos in December 2009. Despite being a wanted man, Melo built a huge following by posting regular videos of his countryside life and farm work that made him a household name in Brazil.
He was located in Olho d'Agua das Cunhas, a remote rural area just 20 miles from where the crime occurred.
Although he led a visible social media life, he lived discreetly in that rural area, which may have contributed to delaying his capture despite his fame.
It was only when a fan, who happened to be a police officer, began watching his videos that he noticed the influencer looked familiar. The officer did some research and discovered that the 'King of Juquira' is an alleged murderer who had been on the run for 16 years.
The crime was said to be motivated by revenge because he believed the victim had been involved in his father's murder during a 2004 election campaign. He remains in custody at the disposal of the courts.
Story: NewsX