Actor Jefferson Machado Found Dead 4 Months After His Disappearance

The body of actor Jefferson Machado has been found after he went missing in January.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro tells The Messenger that Machado's body was recovered Monday amid the Whereabouts Discovery Police Station's investigation. Authorities are looking for anyone involved as well as a motive.

Machado was 44.

Jairo Magalhaes, the lawyer for Machado's family, shared in a statement (translated from Portuguese) on Facebook that the star's "body was found with signs of strangulation."

"Preliminary information indicates that the actor's body was found in a trunk, buried in a hole of considerable depth," added the attorney. "This situation deeply saddens us and makes us indignant in the face of the suffering faced by Jeff."

He continued, "My commitment as a lawyer is to seek tirelessly for truth and justice. It is my responsibility to ensure that everyone involved in this brutal crime is held accountable and punished, and that Jeff's family finds the support they need to get through this very painful time."

Authorities used fingerprints to confirm that the body belonged to Machado, local outlet R7 News reported. He went missing in January and was last seen in Campo Grande. His family reported him missing when they realized his eight dogs had not been taken care of, which was unusual for the actor as he was passionate about animals.

After his disappearance, Machado's family received text messages from someone they say was pretending to be him, according to R7 News. In March, his family found out that his cell phone's password had been changed and his location was turned off.

Throughout his career, Machado appeared in Brazilian telenovela Reis as a Philistine soldier. The series debuted last March. He also worked as a director and set designer over the years.

A close friend also shared a statement on his death via what appeared to be Machado's Instagram page.

"It is with great regret that we inform you that Jeff was found dead on 05/22/2023," read the caption alongside a photo of the late actor. "Jefferson was coldly and brutally murdered by envious, evil and, of course, unscrupulous people."

They thanked police and those who helped during the investigation.