A 51-year-old Brazilian man and a 19-year-old girl have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 83-year-old Guia pensioner last week.
Álvaro Paderna was discovered by his granddaughter’s husband last Thursday morning, tied to a chair, hand and foot, and clearly having received a savage beating about the head.
Portuguese media today claimed the girl, known to have asked for money from Paderna on more than one occasion, is a junkie who knew that the old man had money hidden in the house.
Paderna’s body was found early last Thursday morning by his granddaughter’s husband, suspicious that the old chap's van was still parked outside when he should have been at Albufeira market, selling fruit and vegetables.
The police questioned neighbours and it soon became clear that Paderna, who retired back to Portugal after working in France, might well have had money in the house and that he would be seen as an easy victim by the Brazilians.
The Brazilian girl had established a pattern of asking for money and, soon after her arrest, a Brazilian man also was picked up by police. Both have been in court and are being held in jail, pending trial.
The police forensic team was called to the Guia property due the circumstances of the death, the actual cause of which has yet to be announced but it looks like one, or both of the Brazilians will face trial for murder.
