Claudio Neves Valente, a former Brown University Ph.D. student, has been identified as the suspect in shootings that killed two people at Brown and an MIT professor near Boston. Former classmates describe him as academically strong but socially abrasive; one recalls Valente repeatedly calling a Brazilian peer his 'slave.' Valente, 48, died by suicide in a rented storage unit in New Hampshire. Authorities have not announced a confirmed motive.
Former Classmates Recall 'Slave' Insult as Suspect in Deadly Brown, MIT Attacks Is Identified
It remains unknown what drove 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente to open fire on students at Brown University last weekend. / Claudio Neves Valente. U.S. Attorney’s Office Massachusetts
Claudio Neves Valente, a former Ph.D. candidate at Brown University, has been identified by authorities as the suspect in a series of killings that began with a shooting at Brown and continued the next day with the slaying of an MIT professor near Boston. Valente, 48, later died of an apparent suicide in a rented storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire.
The Miami home where Claudio Valente last lived, according to address records. / Google Maps
What Reporters Have Learned
Multiple former classmates described Valente as academically gifted but socially abrasive. Scott Watson, now a physics professor at Syracuse University, told reporters that Valente repeatedly insulted a Brazilian peer during their time at Brown, even calling him his 'slave' and once prompting Watson to break up a fight. Watson said those incidents occurred in the early 2000s, before Valente abruptly left the Ph.D. program after roughly a year.
Despite being captured on camera, it took law enforcement days to find Claudio Valente. He ultimately took his own life while cornered in New Hampshire. / Rhode Island Attorney General's Office / Rhode Island Attorney General's Office
'Claudio would insult and call him his slave,' said Scott Watson. 'I had to break up a fight once.'
Alleged Attacks
Authorities say Valente returned to Brown and allegedly opened fire on students, killing two and wounding nine. The following day, investigators allege he traveled to the Boston area and murdered Nuno Loureiro, a respected MIT professor who was also originally from Portugal. Officials have not publicly confirmed a motive for either attack.
Claudio Valente worked his way north through New England, first killing two students at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, then a professor in Brookline, Massachusetts, before hs body was discovered in Salem, New Hampshire, on Thursday evening. / Rhode Island Attorney General's Office
Background And Residency
Valente was born in Portugal and studied at Instituto Superior Técnico, the same Portuguese school attended by Loureiro. Former classmates recalled that he could be cocky and dismissive of others while demonstrating strong academic ability. Social-media recollections and interviews describe him as 'socially awkward' and quick to criticize life in the United States, including complaints about campus food.
He obtained lawful permanent residency in the United States in 2017 through the Diversity Visa Lottery program. After the killings, officials temporarily paused aspects of the program pending review. Public records show Valente at times lived in Miami — with a last-listed residence that had a reported monthly rent of $4,850 — and previously in Las Vegas. His employment history in the U.S. has not been publicly detailed.
Investigation Status
Law enforcement recovered Valente's body in a rented storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire. Investigators continue to examine his movements and background, but so far they have not released a verified motive linking his past behavior to the alleged attacks. Families, colleagues and former classmates are still processing the shock of the events and the loss of the victims.
Note: This article is based on interviews with former classmates and public records released by authorities. Officials have not yet released a definitive explanation for Valente's actions.
