On Thursday morning, investigators confirmed that Claudio Manuel Neves Valente was the same individual responsible for opening fire on a study group at Brown University and for the murder of an MIT professor just two days later. This revelation has raised significant concerns among law enforcement officials regarding the possibility that the suspect may have had additional intended targets. Leah Foley, the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, expressed these concerns in a statement to ABC News on Friday, noting, "We had no idea if he had a hit list, and these were just the first two stops on his tour."
Authorities discovered Neves Valente's lifeless body in a storage unit in New Hampshire, where they found two 9mm Glock firearms equipped with green laser sights, five magazines containing nearly 200 rounds of ammunition, and almost $900 in cash. Investigators also reported finding additional ammunition and body armor in his vehicle. Foley stated, "This was highly premeditated, and he was definitely equipped for the mission that he sought out to do."
Neves Valente, 48, reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The timeline of his death is estimated to be Tuesday, based on an autopsy conducted on Friday and the ongoing investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General's office. As part of the investigation, ballistics and DNA tests were initiated to gather more evidence.
Investigators are currently examining the contents of three USB thumb drives found in the suspect's car in hopes of uncovering clues about his motives. According to sources familiar with the investigation, it remains uncertain whether Neves Valente had any other potential targets. Foley indicated that while investigators believe both Brown University and the slain MIT professor, Nuno F.G. Loureiro, were indeed intentional targets, the reasons behind this targeting remain unknown. "I don't know that even if he had explained why, that would be an answer that is satisfactory to anyone," Foley remarked. "He was evil."
The fear that the killer may strike again has intensified the urgency of the manhunt, prompting federal agents to disperse across four New England states. Authorities have also established a presence at airports in both Boston and Hartford. Foley noted, "We had no idea if he was going to act again in New England or try to leave New England." The suspect had already changed his license plates once, and investigators found another expired plate in his vehicle.
Neves Valente was a former graduate student at Brown University, having attended the institution approximately 25 years ago. School officials revealed that he was enrolled as a Ph.D. student in the physics program in 2000 but attended for less than a year before taking a leave of absence and subsequently withdrawing. Interestingly, both Neves Valente and Loureiro were Portuguese nationals who had attended the same physics engineering program at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, as confirmed by the school to ABC News.
This tragic series of events highlights the importance of community vigilance and the urgent need for thorough investigations into motives behind such violent acts. As the investigation progresses, authorities remain committed to ensuring public safety and uncovering the full scope of this disturbing case.