The World - News from Dec. 29, 1988
Federal police in Brazil raided a cattle ranch in the western Amazon and arrested two brothers in connection with the slaying of famed ecologist Francisco Mendes, officials said. Aleci and Oloci Alves da Silva were captured after a gun battle with police at their ranch in Xapuri, the jungle town where Mendes was gunned down last week, Deputy Minister of Justice Luis Fernando Eichenberg said. The two are sons of Darli Alves da Silva, a cattle rancher whom police consider a prime suspect in Mendes’ slaying. A third son surrendered to police Monday and claimed he hired someone to kill Mendes, but officials discounted his confession.
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