US embassy cable - 05RIODEJANEIRO1162

UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 001162 
 
SIPDIS 
 
CA/OCS/ACS/WHA KDAVISION, 
MMUELLER, MDERKS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: CMGT AMGT EAIR BR, Domestic Security & Crime 
SUBJECT: Staheli Murder Update: DNA Does Not Match Suspect 
 
Ref:  03 Rio de Janeiro 335 
 
1. Summary:  A new twist in the police investigation into the 
2003 murders of Amcit couple Todd and Michelle Staheli: 
Authorities determined on Oct 28 that DNA samples beneath 
Michelle Staheli's fingernails do not match that of suspect 
Jossiel Conceicao des Santos.  This new evidence lends credence 
to the view that others were involved in the murder.  End 
summary. 
 
2. Shell expatriate executive Staheli and his wife were 
murdered in their Rio de Janeiro home on November 30, 2003. 
The juxtaposition of the Stahelis - Utah Mormons, parents of 
four - meeting their tragic end in crime-saturated Rio de 
Janeiro caused a brief international media splash in late 2003. 
 
3. Authorities - notably State Security Secretary and 
presidential wannabe Anthony Garotinho - declared four months 
later that handyman dos Santos had confessed as the Stahelis' 
lone assassin (ref).  The crime's intricacy, dos Santos' 
implausible motive (he claimed Michelle Staheli slurred him 
with a Portuguese racial epitaph she could not have known) and 
other factors have cast doubt on the State authorities' murder 
scenario.  (We suggest interested cable recipients new to 
Brazil google "Staheli" and "Rio" for further background 
information.) 
 
4. Amconsul Rio de Janeiro will continue to press authorities 
to put renewed energy into hunting down the Staheli's 
murderer(s).  This is no small challenge.  The media spotlight 
has long ago dissipated and Brazilian authorities resolve a 
mere three percent of the country's murders.  We will also lend 
whatever support we can to Staheli family attorneys from Utah, 
who are also conducting a parallel investigation (but, of 
course, without the power of subpoena). 
 
Atkins