A 40-year-old woman has been arrested by the Judicial Police (PJ) on suspicion of murdering her 58-year-old mother in the Algarve town of Olhão.
The victim's body was discovered buried beneath a flower bed on the terrace of her home, with what investigators described as clear signs of a violent death.
The investigation began after an acquaintance reported the woman missing. Detectives gathered evidence that led them to identify her daughter as the prime suspect before locating and arresting her in Olhão.
According to the PJ, the suspect had altered her appearance in what officers believe was an attempt to prepare to flee the region. She had cut her hair short and changed the way she dressed in an apparent effort to avoid detection.
Investigators said the victim had been living alone until recently, when her daughter moved into the property. Police added that the pair were widely known to have had a troubled relationship marked by frequent arguments and conflict.
The suspect has an extensive criminal record for domestic abuse offences, all allegedly committed against her mother. She had been serving a prison sentence since 2021 but failed to return to prison after being granted temporary release in January 2024, remaining unlawfully at large ever since.
Speaking to reporters, João Garcia, head of the PJ's Southern Directorate, said the force launched its investigation on Wednesday morning, 15 July, after receiving the missing person report.
"The investigation began immediately to establish the woman's whereabouts and ultimately led to the discovery of her body inside the property, in circumstances that were particularly macabre," he said.
Garcia added that the victim showed "clear signs that her death had been caused by violent action" and confirmed that the suspect had recently been living at the same address.
Police said evidence collected during the investigation suggested the suspect was making logistical preparations to leave the Algarve and had already begun changing her appearance to facilitate her escape.
"We are dealing with a homicide, specifically an aggravated homicide," Garcia said. "The suspect will now be brought before the judicial authorities, who have been informed of all the circumstances established so far."
He noted that the PJ only became involved after the victim was reported missing and had no prior knowledge of the family's history of domestic conflict.
Following the killing, the suspect reportedly disappeared from places she was known to frequent, radically changed her appearance and began planning her next move. Investigators believe there were "very strong indications" that she was preparing both her escape and a destination where she hoped to evade capture.
Garcia suggested the psychological impact of the alleged crime may also have delayed her departure.
"The emotional disturbance resulting from an act of this nature does not leave anyone unaffected," he said. "Such criminal behaviour changes people, and it is possible she needed time to decide where she was going and how she would get there."
The suspect remains in police custody and is due to appear before a judge, who will decide the coercive measures to be imposed while the criminal proceedings continue.
The investigation is being led by the Faro Department of Criminal Investigation and Prosecution (DIAP).
Source: PJ
Photo credit: Archive image
