A small town was gripped by fear for three weeks as authorities hunted down one of the South America’s most notorious fugitives, Lázaro Barbosa.
Police say Barbosa’s spree began on 9 June 2021, when he invaded the home of Cláudio Vidal and his family near Ceilândia, a wealthy suburb of Brazil’s capital, Brasília. In what prosecutors described as a violent and rapid attack, he allegedly shot and killed Cláudio and his two sons, aged 15 and 21.
Their mother, Cleonice Marques, was kidnapped and held hostage, only to be found dead three days later in a nearby creek. The killings were part of what authorities believe was an attempted robbery, though the motive has been overshadowed by the sheer brutality of the crime.
Residents of the area were left horrified. Mathias Folha, who lives in Cocalzinho de Goiás, one of the regions where the fugitive was spotted, told reporters: “It’s been hard to sleep at night. The whole town’s life is around this. I even had to leave my house.” Over 200 police officers were deployed in the hunt, supported by helicopters, sniffer dogs, and a network of federal and local security forces.
Barbosa was described by police as “ferocious, aggressive, and without brakes,” and large-scale media reports of his movements added to the fear gripping rural Goiás. Within days, he had invaded other properties, taken hostages, and stolen weapons and vehicles. In one incident, he held a woman and a young man under the threat of a gun for three hours, forcing them to smoke marijuana while he ransacked the property.
By 11 June, Barbosa had set fire to a car and fled, moving deeper into rural areas around Cocalzinho. Each day brought new sightings, new reports of thefts, and more terror for residents.
Police said he had the ability to navigate the rural landscape expertly, often disappearing into dense vegetation after each encounter. On several occasions, he opened fire on officers, wounding at least one policeman who was grazed on the head.
Authorities quickly established a massive operation. More than 270 officers from the Civil and Military Police of Goiás and the Federal District, the Federal Police, the Special Penitentiary Operations Directorate, and the Fire Brigade were involved. Helicopters patrolled from the sky, drones scanned the terrain, and tracking dogs combed the forested areas. Even the Brazilian Army provided communications support, allowing police to coordinate over distances of up to 30 kilometres.
Local authorities received thousands of tips from residents, and social media was flooded with sightings and videos of the suspect. Despite this, Barbosa remained at large, moving from house to house, sometimes taking families hostage but eventually releasing them unharmed. His father, Edenaldo Barbosa, told reporters he feared for his life and described his son as “a monster.”
During the manhunt, police faced a series of shootouts. On 14 June, Barbosa reportedly opened fire on a local farmer, while another incident saw a family held at gunpoint and threatened by the fugitive near a river.
As days passed, it became clear Barbosa was receiving help. Investigators later arrested a local farmer and a caseworker suspected of aiding him, providing shelter and supplies during the fugitive’s flight through the rural areas. Evidence suggested Barbosa had access to phones and inside information that allowed him to evade capture for almost three weeks.
The drama reached its climax on the night of 28 June. Residents in a municipality west of Brasília spotted Barbosa near a creek and alerted police. Within hours, a massive operation was underway, with officers establishing a cordon while helicopters hovered overhead. Barbosa reportedly fired at police as they closed in. In the ensuing shootout, he was shot and later died on the way to a hospital, bringing an end to the 20-day manhunt that had terrorized communities across central Brazil.
Videos published by local media showed police dragging a blood-stained Barbosa into an ambulance. Officers were visibly relieved, and some cheered as the ambulance sped away. Goiás state Governor Ronaldo Caiado praised the operation, tweeting: “Congratulations to our security forces. You give our people reason to be proud! Goiás is not a Disneyland for bandits.”