Police in Brazil’s Rondônia state have arrested a 24-year-old man who is suspected of participating in the robbery-related killing of his own sister, bringing a new development to an investigation that began after the woman was found dead inside her home several months ago.

The suspect, identified in local reports as João Vitor dos Santos Gonçalves, was arrested in the municipality of Jaru on Thursday, September 24, following a preventive arrest warrant issued by the courts in Rondônia. Police confirmed the arrest as part of the investigation into the death of 31-year-old Poliana dos Santos Gonçalves.

Poliana was found dead at her residence in Machadinho D’Oeste in March 2026. According to information released during the investigation, she had suffered signs of violence. Her hands and legs were reportedly tied, her eyes were covered and investigators found multiple injuries caused by a sharp object. Her mobile phone and motorcycle were also missing from the residence.

The circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body have been a major part of the police investigation. At the time, João Vitor himself reportedly contacted authorities after colleagues of Poliana became concerned when she did not report for work.

According to the account he gave at the time, he went to his sister’s residence after being contacted by her colleagues. He reportedly found the back door open and discovered Poliana’s body inside the bedroom. The circumstances described in his initial account subsequently became part of the wider investigation.

Police have not publicly disclosed the evidence that led investigators to suspect João Vitor’s possible involvement. Authorities have said that the investigation contains information being kept confidential, meaning the precise basis for the preventive arrest has not been made public.

The case is being investigated as a suspected latrocínio, a Brazilian legal term generally referring to robbery resulting in death. The disappearance of Poliana’s motorcycle and mobile phone after the killing has been considered part of the investigation into the alleged robbery-related circumstances.

After his arrest in Jaru, the suspect was taken into the state’s correctional system. Reports said he was admitted to the Centro Regional de Ressocialização Augusto Simon Kempe, where he remains available to judicial authorities.

The arrest represents a significant development in the investigation, but authorities have not publicly explained what role investigators believe the suspect may have played. Police are continuing to examine the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

The investigation has also reportedly involved other people. Local reporting has indicated that additional individuals were being investigated, although authorities have not released all details because the case remains subject to confidentiality.

Police have also continued efforts to trace evidence connected with the missing property. The victim’s motorcycle was reportedly located later in the Guatá region, adding another element to the investigation into the disappearance of her belongings.

The Polícia Civil de Rondônia has completed the police inquiry and forwarded the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rondônia, according to reports citing authorities. The prosecution will now assess the material gathered during the investigation and determine the next legal steps.

The arrest should not be treated as a finding of guilt. The suspect remains an accused person under investigation and is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence. His eventual criminal responsibility, if any, will be determined through the Brazilian judicial process.

The case remains closely watched in Machadinho D’Oeste and Jaru as authorities work to establish the complete circumstances surrounding Poliana’s death and determine the individual responsibility of those suspected of involvement.