French Artist Killed on Farm in Paraty

07/18/2018 - 13h16

The police in Rio de Janeiro are investigating whether the motive behind the murder of French artist Cedric Alexandre Vacherie Jaurgoyhen was religious intolerance - Mr. Jaurgoyhen practiced Candomblé.

The body of the 33-year-old artist was found last Friday (the 13th) at his home in Paraty, located in Rio de Janeiro's Costa Verde region, approximately 160 kilometers from the state capital.

He was shot in the head with a shotgun and his house got burned down. His farm was located in the rural area close to the city. Mr. Jaurgoyhen had been living in Brazil for ten years and was an artist and a dancer.

	Reproducao
	Cedric Alexandre Vacherie

A forensics team has already investigated the crime scene and neighbors are currently being heard by investigators. According to the police, the crime took place on Thursday (the 12th).

The artist had lived in the town's touristy downtown area before moving to his farm around two years ago. He had been planning on building an ecological center there.

Mr. Jaurgoyhen's parents have arrived in Brazil. The body of their son is expected to be released later this week so they can bury him in Cannes, France.

Paraty has suffered a surge in violence. Lethal violence rates - which include homicides, victims killed by the police, muggings followed by death and physical harm followed by death - have gone up in the town.

Another factor that has frightened residents is the recent wave of theft and robberies that have been carried out in people's homes as well as establishments.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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