Actor Jefferson Machado Found Dead, Buried Under Concrete in Backyard

By Ashley Turner

Jefferson Machado, a South American soap star who went missing in January, has been found dead in Brazil, reports claim. In Campo Grande, Brazil, a 44-year-old man was found buried in a trunk and covered in concrete in the backyard of a house on Monday, as reported by Rio de Janeiro news outlet R7 earlier this week, per Toofab. Jairo Magalhães, the Machado family's lawyer, announced the passing of Machado via a statement posted on Facebook. "It is with regret that I share the sad news of the passing of actor Jeff Machado, whose body was found with strangulation signs," Magalhães said. "This discovery confronts us with the cruelty present in our society, motivating us to seek truth and justice in the face of such impactful cases."

"Preliminary information indicates that the actor's body was found in a trunk, buried in a hole of considerable depth. This situation deeply saddens us and indignant in the face of the suffering faced by Jeff," he added. Magalhães then went on to explain that his "commitment as a lawyer is to seek tirelessly for truth and justice" and his "responsibility to ensure that everyone involved in this brutal crime is held accountable and punished, and that Jeff's family finds the support they need to get through this very painful time." In Magalhes' conversation with R7, he was able to provide further information on the condition of Machado's body to elaborate on his condition. Regarding what was described as "strangulation signs" found on Machado's body, Magalhães explained that Machado had a "line" on his neck, which led him to say that it represented strangulation.

The lawyer added, "He had his arms tied behind his head and buried in a trunk that is very similar to the ones in his own house." Magalhães also confirmed to R7 that the home where Machado's body was discovered was being rented by one of his friends, and the unidentified friend is currently under investigation by the police, according to the outlet. Machado, who starred in the Brazilian telenovela, Reis, was reported missing on January 27, according to R7, which reported that his family wasn't aware of his disappearance until a non-governmental organization told them that his eight dogs had been abandoned at his Rio de Janeiro home. He regularly posted pictures of dogs on his Instagram account. 

Family members reportedly received correspondence from someone impersonating the actor in the following months. The alleged impersonator sent texts filled with grammatical errors from his phone. Machado's mother, Maria das Dores, 73, said sending texts riddled with mistakes was unusual for her son. Her suspicions were raised when the impersonator refused to get on the line with her, instead offering the excuse that the phone was dropped in a toilet. After discovering that the actor's cloud password had been altered and his cell phone location had been disabled, Machado's family reported him missing. Maria told the local press that she last spoke to her son on January 29.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of