Police request breach of secrecy of suspect in killing of street sweeper in BH

The Civil Police requested the breach of telematic data confidentiality of 47-year-old businessman Renê da Silva Nogueira Júnior. He is in custody, identified as the shooter who killed 44-year-old street sweeper Laudemir de Souza Fernandes. The crime occurred on the morning of Monday (8/11) in the Vista Alegre neighborhood, West region of Belo Horizonte. The suspect was arrested hours later at a high-end gym in the Estoril neighborhood.
The Civil Police are awaiting a response from the Judiciary about the request. The authorization, however, is not immediate, as reported by a source from the State Department of Homicide Investigation and Person Protection (DHPP). In addition to the judge’s authorization, the request must be sent to the telephone operators, who have a deadline to provide the data.
Renê has been in prison in Caeté, in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, since Tuesday (8/14). The transfer to the unit occurred after the suspect went through a custody hearing, which ended with the conversion of pre-trial detention to temporary.
Renê Junior was charged with double qualified homicide – for futile motive and recourse that hindered the victim’s defense – and for threatening the truck driver collector. In the decision to keep Renê in custody, Judge Leonardo Damasceno highlighted that the accused is already facing a trial for serious bodily injury in São Paulo, indicating a ‘violent personality and repeat offenses’.
In the decision, the judge also mentioned the suspect’s behavior at the time of the crime. ‘By drawing his pistol and aiming directly at the driver, saying ‘if you scratch my car I will shoot you in the face,’ the accused showed total emotional distress and dangerous predisposition to use lethal violence as a first response to everyday conflicts,’ Damasceno said.
The morning of Monday (8/11) around 9 am, there was traffic trouble in the Vista Alegre neighborhood in the West region of Belo Horizonte. A garbage truck was stopped when a gray BYD car coming in the opposite direction approached. The car driver – identified as the suspect – allegedly pulled out a gun and threatened the truck driver, saying ‘I will shoot you in the face.’ Shortly after, he allegedly shot street sweeper Laudemir de Souza Fernandes, who was working in waste collection.
Laudemir was hit in the thoracic region, near the ribs, and taken to Santa Rita Hospital in Contagem, but did not survive his injuries. After the shooting, the suspect fled in the same gray BYD car and was located by the police later that day, working out at a high-end gym in the Estoril neighborhood. He was arrested without resistance. Witnesses reported that just before being hit, Laudemir allegedly said, ‘You hit me.’ Witnesses at the crime scene claimed that the suspect ‘left calmly with an angry expression’ after shooting the victim.
The victim was identified as Laudemir de Souza Fernandes, 44 years old, a street sweeper at Localix Serviços Ambientais. Colleagues and relatives describe him as a hardworking, peaceful, and family-dedicated man. Laudemir left behind a wife, a 15-year-old daughter, and stepdaughters; according to witnesses and family members, he was very well-liked at work and at home.
According to Ivanildo Gualberto Lopes, co-owner of Localix, Laudemir tried to calm the situation during the traffic altercation and ended up getting shot while working. ‘Now it’s in the hands of justice, and we will follow,’ said Ivanildo.
Renê da Silva Nogueira Júnior, 47 years old, denied committing the crime during his statement. He claimed that on the day of the homicide, he left home at 8:07 am and followed his usual route to Betim, where he works. He stated he arrived at the company, went out for lunch, returned to work, went back home at the end of the day, changed clothes, went out to walk the dogs, put the animals away, and went to the gym.
PCMG reported that security camera footage is being analyzed to compare Renê’s route and schedule. According to the corporation, the route described by the suspect must be proven. So far, Renê has not undergone forensic examinations.
According to Evandro Radaelli, a DHPP delegate, the Military Police captured and identified the suspect, who was then taken to the unit. ‘We gathered information, identified witnesses, and were able, in a preliminary phase, to confirm elements that led to the ratification of the arrest. There was also identification of images, firearms calibers, and a request for pre-trial detention,’ he said. Based on these elements, there was a request for the pre-trial detention of the suspect. Investigators also stated that during the questioning, the suspect showed no signs of intoxication or drug use. ‘He is articulate, speaks well, and there was no need for a toxicological test,’ said delegate Matheus Moraes.
The delegate also mentioned that the suspect did not have a gun permit. This information will be verified by the institution with the Federal Police. The investigation identified the plate and ownership of the allegedly involved vehicle, collected statements from all witnesses; the investigation includes image analysis and interviews to consolidate the evidence. ‘They identified the vehicle plate and, consequently, the ownership. With this information, they confirmed that he was at the scene [of the crime]. Through witness statements, we could confirm that he had a recognizable physical appearance and confirm the authorship,’ said delegate Evandro Radaelli.
The case is under continuous investigation by the Civil Police. Renê was charged with double qualified homicide and for threatening the truck driver. After procedures at the DHPP, he was sent to Ceresp Gameleira, where he will await a custody hearing scheduled for Wednesday (13). Renê’s wife, delegate Ana Paula Lamego Balbino, was unaware of her husband’s suspicion of murder until he was arrested at a gym in the Estoril neighborhood, according to PCMG.
According to the investigation, a .380 caliber pistol was collected and handed over to the Corregedoria. Delegate Ana Paula Lamego Balbino – allegedly the suspect’s wife – had her personal weapon delivered to the Corregedoria for examination and investigation into the custody and storage of the firearm. Radaelli stated that it is still not possible to determine if the gun used in the crime belongs to the delegate; this verification is ongoing and monitored by the Civil Police Corregedoria.
Several news outlets reported that in his statement, the businessman himself claimed that the gun belonged to his wife, which prompted an investigation by the Corregedoria to determine any failures in the firearm’s custody. The disciplinary investigation and police inquiry remain open to clarify this point.
Family, friends, and colleagues gathered on Tuesday morning (8/12) at the Quadrangular Church in Nova Contagem for Laudemir’s wake. In speeches marked by anger and pain, relatives described him as ‘a very hardworking person, an honest person, very affectionate and protective, who died while working.’
Stepdaughter Jessica França, 25, said the family is in shock and demanded justice. She mentioned that Laudemir was ‘a very hardworking person, an honest person, very affectionate and protective, who died while working. He left home early, it was a day he was going to come back late, but he didn’t. Every Sunday morning he made breakfast, took care of us.’ Colleagues and the employer also requested that the case not go unpunished.
Emotionally, Laudemir’s wife, Liliane França, said, ‘Lau didn’t come back. They returned Lau to me in a coffin. It can’t stay like this, there must be a change, there must be justice.’ She also demanded respect for the profession and recalled the struggles and lack of tolerance faced by street sweepers.Nogueira Junior, 47, is the suspect of killing street sweeper Laudemir de Souza Fernandes, 44. He presents himself on LinkedIn as someone who ‘transforms companies and accelerates results through strategic leadership and innovation.’ He is married to Minas Gerais Civil Police delegate Ana Paula Balbino Nogueira.
According to his professional profile, Renê has 27 years of executive experience in the food and beverage sector and claims to have a ‘proven track record of generating exponential growth and leading complex organizational transformations’ in the Brazilian and international markets. He has held executive positions in companies such as Coca-Cola, Vigor, Red Bull, and Ambev. His most recent experience began in August when he took on as the business director of Fictor Alimentos. After the arrest, the company stated that he had started working less than two weeks ago, disapproved of the behavior attributed to the employee, and expressed solidarity with the victim’s family.
Renê’s academic background shows studies at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Ibmec, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Superior School of Advertising and Marketing (ESPM), and Harvard Business School. On his LinkedIn, there is a recommendation written by his wife, where she claims he is a ‘man of undeniable character.’
The suspect’s lawyer, Henrique Viana Pereira, was contacted by the media but chose not to comment on the case.