In a truly horrific sequence of events, not only was João Rodrigo Silva Santos decapitated, but his head was delivered to his policewoman wife.
Police in Rio de Janeiro have confirmed the grizzly incident and local drug traffickers are suspected given the fact that Santos’ wife works in a police unit tasked with investigating Rio’s gangs as part of a government crackdown ahead of next year’s World Cup.
The recently-retired Santos played in several Brazilian teams, mainly in lower leagues and also briefly in Sweden and the 35 year-old was running his local food store when he was kidnapped late at night.
The Guardian reports that his wife heard a noise outside her house and went out to check where she recognised a backpack on the porch that belonged to her husband, where inside was Santos's head. The G1.globo website reported the assailants had carved out the man's eyes and tongue.
Shocking stuff that will do little to allay fears in some quarters over safety concerns in the country ahead of the World Cup.
