Paulo Henrique Caetano Sales, known as PH, owner of one of the houses in Praia Grande used by the group to plan and support the crime
The São Paulo Civil Police arrested the ninth suspect involved in the murder of the former general delegate. The detainee is Paulo Henrique Caetano Sales, 38 years old, known as PH, owner of one of the houses in Praia Grande used by the group to plan and support the crime. It was located in Jardim Shangrilá, in the south of the capital. With the arrest, at least nine people are detained in connection with the homicide. Two other suspects remain at large and one died in a confrontation with police.
Fontes, 64 years old, was killed on September 15 while leaving Praia Grande City Hall, where he was municipal secretary of Administration. He was hit by several shots in an ambush. The former head of São Paulo, who commanded the corporation between 2019 and 2022, was known for his actions against the Primeiro Comando da Capital () and even indicted the entire leadership of the faction in 2006, including leader Marco Willians Herbas Camacho, known as Marcola.
Investigations indicate that the group responsible for the execution used at least four properties on the coast of São Paulo for monitoring, logistics and shelter for the suspects. According to the police, the house linked to PH had been used since April by Umberto Alberto Gomes, identified as one of the organizers of the crime. Gomes died in a confrontation with Civil Police teams in Paraná at the end of September.
The Civil Police are working on suspicion that the murder is related to a tender worth around R$24 million carried out by Praia Grande City Hall. The hypothesis is that the dispute would have affected the interests of members of the criminal faction. At the beginning of the month, the city’s undersecretary of Management and Technology, Sandro Rogério Pardini, had cell phones, computers and money seized during the operation. His defense denies any involvement and claims that he is available to the authorities.
Who has been arrested
Among those detained are suspected of acting in surveillance of the former police chief, in escape logistics, in guarding weapons and in carrying out the shooting. José Nildo da Silva, 47 years old, recently arrested in Itanhaém, is identified as one of the possible shooters. Another suspected member of the group, identified as Umberto Gomes, died in a police confrontation. In addition to PH and José Nildo, seven other people under investigation had already been arrested previously. Two remain at large, and the search continues.
The Civil Police claim that the crime was planned for months and that Fontes had been monitored since August. Security camera images show cars used to monitor the former police officer. A pickup truck used in the action was set on fire after the crime; another vehicle was seized and underwent forensic examination. Sales’ defense was nowhere to be found. The space of Young Pan is open to any manifestation.
Published by Felipe Dantas
*Report produced with the help of AI
