September 6, 1963 - March 13, 2000

Date of murder: March 13, 2000

Place and circumstances of murder: José Wellington Fernandes, known as Zezinho Cazuza, was struck by a bullet fired from a 12-caliber rifle at 3:30 a.m. as he made his way home on Hortencio Alves Feitosa Street in Canindé de São Francisco, Sergipe state, in northeastern Brazil. He was returning from a party held by the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) when a young man who was at the corner of Getulio Vargas Avenue called out to him and as he went over to the man a person sitting in a car nearby shot at him. The journalist fell mortally wounded to the sidewalk outside the Seu Duca bar, located at the corner of the street. Cazuza was given first aid, but he died en route to the hospital.

Probable cause: Cazuza exposed on his radio program what he said was administrative wrongdoing by Mayor Genivaldo Galindo da Silva.

Suspects: The police investigation pointed to truck driver José Ferreira de Melo, known as Zé de Adolfo, as the person who shot Cazuza. A 17-year-old youth identified as R.L.S. and nicknamed Nininho (Little Kid), was said to be the one who had enticed Cazuza to the car from which he was shot at. Mayor Galindo da Silva was accused of having ordered the murder. Alleged gunman Zé de Adolfo is in jail awaiting trial. He gave conflicting statements to police, initially accusing Galindo of having masterminded the crime but later saying he had been tortured by police into saying this. As of December 2001 Nininho and Galindo da Silva remained at large.

Chronology:

March 13, 2000 - Radio journalist Zezinho Cazuza is murdered at about 3:30 a.m. as he returns home from a party in Canindé de São Francisco.

March 13 and 14 - Police inspector Jocélio Franca Fróes calls for the arrest of truck driver José Ferreira de Melo, known as Zé de Adolfo. In a statement to police, Zé de Adolfo confesses to having murdered Cazuza on the orders of Mayor Genivaldo Galindo da Silva. He says he was hired for 3,000 reais (about $1,250), of which he had been paid only 500 reais ($209), all to be divided between himself and R.L.S., nicknamed Nininho, also said to have taken part in the crime. The police inspector also sought the arrest of Nininho, but he remains at large.

March 21 - Zé de Adolfo denies Mayor Galindo's involvement in the crime. He says he killed Cazuza at Nininho's request. The latter had told him that when he was on his way to Candindé he felt persecuted by Cazuza, who was said to be a homosexual. He says that the day he killed Cazuza he had drunk a lot and had bought the gun with money from Nininho. He had also felt offended because Cazuza had called him "weak."

March 21 - In a statement to police Genivaldo Galindo da Silva says that he had little contact with Zé de Adolfo. According to Galindo, the truck driver merely worked in the farm cooperative that provided services to city hall. He denies knowing Nininho, but remembers his father, for whom he found a job some time before Cazuza's death. He indicates that Cazuza had problems with the owner of Rádio Xingó FM, Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira Costa.

March 23 - The owner of Rádio Xingó FM, Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira Costa, sends to Candindé de São Francisco public prosecutor Petterson Almeida Barbosa a report containing a series of complaints of acts of administrative wrongdoing allegedly committed by Mayor Genivaldo Galindo da Silva.

March 27 - Sergipe state attorney general Moacyr Soares da Motta calls for state intervention for six months in Candindé de São Francisco in order to investigate the complaints. The same day the mayor of the city, Genivaldo Galindo da Silva, presents his resignation and is succeeded by the deputy mayor, Rosa Maria Fernandes Feitosa, who at the time is married to Genilson Chaves Galindo, son of the former mayor, who is now in jail.

March 31 - Zé de Adolfo makes a further statement to police inspector Sérgio Barbosa, confirming that he had been hired by Galindo. He says he had denied this previously on the advice of his attorney but changed his mind when he learned he would not be released from jail anyway.

June - In a confrontation with Mayor Galindo, Zé de Adolfo states again that the latter had been the instigator of the crime. Galindo says that Zé de Adolfo's wife had asked him to intercede to obtain his release from jail and he accuses Zé de Adolfo of lying. He adds that he would respond only in court to the accusation of having masterminded the murder.

August - Zé de Adolfo's wife, Marilene, states to the police that she has been besieged by people close to Galindo seeking to put pressure on her husband to withdraw the accusations against the former mayor.

November 14 - In the presence of his attorney, Aderval Vanderlei Tenório, Zé de Adolfo denies any participation in the murder and alleges that the police tortured him.

March 13, 2001 - Examining magistrate Neotônio Bezerra Machado orders the preventive detention of Galindo.

As of December 10, 2001, the former mayor and Nininho remain at large.

Place of birth: Propriá, Sergipe state

Age at death: 36

Marital status: Single

Children: None

Education: Completed equivalent of high school. In April 1993 earned certification as a broadcaster from the National Federation of Radio and Television Companies of Sergipe state.

Profession/title: Journalist for Rádio Xingó FM in Canindé de São Francisco, Sergipe. He hosted the programs "Cheiro de Mato" Mondays to Fridays from 5:00 to 8:00 a.m. and "Bar Table" Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. He also sold commercial spots for the radio.

Journalism background: He had newsstands in Rio de Janeiro and Propriá. He worked at Rádio Jornal in Propriá. He hosted shows on Radio Xingó FM from December 1, 1994, until his death.

Leisure activities/Hobbies: He loved soccer and was a fan of the Flamengo team. He also served as a children's soccer coach. His home was known as Donation House, because he used to distribute food and basic necessities to the needy from there.

Other activities or involvements: He organized parties and shows in the city. On those occasions he would sport a handkerchief tied around his head, imitating the late Brazilian pop singer Cazuza - and that is how he got his nickname. He also emceed public events and rallies from atop a vehicle. He twice ran for councilman.

Awards: Regional Presenter of the Year in 1999. Students of the Canindé Public Education Network and Rádio Xingó FM gave this award. After his death, the back office of Rádio Xingó FM was named "Zezinho Cazuza" in his honor.