Staheli Murder Update: DNA Does Not Match Suspect

UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 001162 SIPDIS CA/OCS/ACS/WHA KDAVISION, MMUELLER, MDERKS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: CMGT AMGT EAIR BR SUBJECT: Staheli Murder Update: DNA Does Not Match Suspect Ref: 03 Rio de Janeiro 335 ¶1. Summary: A new twist in the police investigation into the 2003 murders of Amcit couple Todd and Michelle Staheli: Authorities determined on Oct 28 that DNA samples beneath Michelle Staheli's fingernails do not match that of suspect Jossiel Conceicao des Santos. This new evidence lends credence to the view that others were involved in the murder. End summary. ¶2. Shell expatriate executive Staheli and his wife were murdered in their Rio de Janeiro home on November 30, 2003. The juxtaposition of the Stahelis - Utah Mormons, parents of four - meeting their tragic end in crime-saturated Rio de Janeiro caused a brief international media splash in late 2003. ¶3. Authorities - notably State Security Secretary and presidential wannabe Anthony Garotinho - declared four months later that handyman dos Santos had confessed as the Stahelis' lone assassin (ref). The crime's intricacy, dos Santos' implausible motive (he claimed Michelle Staheli slurred him with a Portuguese racial epitaph she could not have known) and other factors have cast doubt on the State authorities' murder scenario. (We suggest interested cable recipients new to Brazil google "Staheli" and "Rio" for further background information.) ¶4. Amconsul Rio de Janeiro will continue to press authorities to put renewed energy into hunting down the Staheli's murderer(s). This is no small challenge. The media spotlight has long ago dissipated and Brazilian authorities resolve a mere three percent of the country's murders. We will also lend whatever support we can to Staheli family attorneys from Utah, who are also conducting a parallel investigation (but, of course, without the power of subpoena). Atkins