Brazilian police are hunting for Mario Santoro, the man suspected of the murder of Cecilia Haddad in Sydney.
A Brazilian court has issued an arrest warrant for Santoro, who is now considered a fugitive in both Australia and Brazil meaning he can be arrested on the spot in either country.
Haddad's body was found in Lane Cove River, in Sydney's north, on 29th April.
Santoro, Haddad's ex-boyfriend is considered to be the prime suspect in the murder investigation.
It's understood their relationship had ended weeks before her death.
The 40-year-old engineer is believed to have left Australia for Rio de Janeiro on the same weekend that Haddad's body was found.
The Homicide Division is leading the investigation in Rio de Janeiro since Haddad's family reported her death in early May.
News reports in Brazil today are even referring to the cause and manner of Cecilia Haddad's death: possibly strangled.
Today, the Rio de Janeiro Homicide Division confirmed police had spoken to Haddad's relatives and had issued a warrant for Santoro's arrest.
“The Homicide Division began the investigation by listening to relatives of the victim, Cecília Müller Haddad, as well as providing expert analysis of some documents that the family of the victim Cecília Müller Haddad provided,” the statement said.
“At the request of the Homicide Division and favourable manifestation of the MP, the state court of Rio de Janeiro decreed, early yesterday evening, the arrest of the indicted Mário Marcelo Ferreira dos Santos Santoro.”
Since the warrant was issued police have scoured Santoro's home in Rio de Janeiro as well as the home of his parents in Copacabana and the homes of other relatives in Rio.
It's believed he may be in a location outside of Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian arrest warrant comes a week after Australian police and Interpol issued warrants for Santoro's arrest.
