PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The man accused of carrying out last week’s deadly shooting at Brown University has been found dead in New Hampshire from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials confirmed Friday.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the suspect, identified as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, was discovered deceased after warrants were issued charging him with murder and related offenses in connection with the December 13 shooting. Authorities said his death ends a days-long search that spanned multiple states.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of this awful tragedy,” Smiley said in a statement. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners as well as all of our neighbors who were instrumental throughout the investigation.”
According to Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez, Neves Valente was a former Brown University student with a last known address in Miami, Florida. He was born in Torres Novas, Santarém, Portugal, and had been a legal permanent resident of the United States since 2017.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said Neves Valente first entered the U.S. in August 2000 as an F-1 visa student at Brown University, where he enrolled in a doctoral program. University officials confirmed he attended Brown from fall 2000 through spring 2001, took a leave of absence in April 2001, and formally withdrew in July 2003. He had no current affiliation with the institution.
Investigators said Neves Valente had no known criminal record in the United States.
The discovery of the suspect’s body in New Hampshire follows an extensive investigation led by the Providence Police Department, the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, and federal law enforcement partners.