Authorities say Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, shot and killed two Brown University students on December 13 and MIT professor Nuno Loureiro two days later before being found dead in a Salem storage unit. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide from a gunshot to the head, estimated on December 16. Federal testing linked two 9mm pistols recovered with the body to the Brown and MIT killings, and a rapid DNA test preliminarily matched Valente to evidence at Brown. Investigators have not released a motive; a Reddit tip helped link the attacks while widespread social media misinformation complicated the manhunt.
Investigators Seek Motive After Claudio Neves Valente Found Dead Following Brown and MIT Killings
Claudio Neves Valente, the suspect in the Brown University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shootings, at an Alamo rental car location in Boston (-)(-/Providence Police Department/AFP)
Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national who had come to the United States as an aspiring physics student, was found dead after authorities say he killed two Brown University students and an MIT professor in December.
Autopsy and Forensic Findings
The state Chief Medical Examiner on Friday released autopsy results concluding that Valente "died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head," and that his death was a suicide. The examiner estimated the date of death as December 16.
Federal authorities also disclosed early ballistic and DNA findings. In a joint statement, the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said two 9mm pistols were recovered in New Hampshire with the body. One pistol is positively linked to the Brown University shootings; the other is positively linked to the murder of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro. A rapid DNA test has preliminarily matched Valente to DNA evidence recovered at Brown, though investigators did not immediately comment on DNA testing at the professor's home.
The Attacks and the Manhunt
Officials say Valente fatally shot Brown students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and wounded several others on December 13. Two days later, investigators say, he traveled to the home of Nuno Loureiro, a well-regarded MIT professor who taught nuclear science, engineering and physics, and killed him.
Authorities say Valente took steps to conceal his identity during the manhunt, including using false license plates and a cell phone that proved difficult to trace. His body was discovered in a self-storage facility in Salem, Massachusetts, after a multi-day search.
How the Case Came Together
Investigators initially struggled to generate firm leads. Social media circulated dozens of names and images connected to the shootings—almost all false—and officials warned that misinformation hampered the investigation. In one instance, an initially detained military veteran was later released after posts circulated images of a different man with the same name.
Detectives have said a tip originating on the Reddit forum helped break the case. Investigators were directed to check a grey Nissan SUV and a tipster nicknamed "John" later described an encounter with a suspicious man on the Brown campus. That lead helped connect the Brown campus shootings with the murder of the MIT professor.
"In terms of why Brown? I think that's a mystery," Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said at a briefing.
Background Link
Portuguese media outlet Expresso reported that Valente and Professor Loureiro attended Lisbon's Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) around the same time and were classmates, with Valente described as a top student. IST President Rogério Colaço told Expresso that most classmates remember Valente primarily as an outstanding student, while Loureiro maintained stronger ties with IST faculty.
Open Questions
Authorities have not released a motive for the killings. Investigators continue to review ballistic, forensic and digital evidence as they work to determine why Valente targeted Brown and whether he had any direct connection to the students he shot.
Key developments: two 9mm pistols recovered with the body were tied to the two crime scenes, rapid DNA testing linked Valente to evidence at Brown, social media misinformation complicated the probe, and a Reddit tip helped focus the investigation. Officials say many questions remain.
