The death of a Brazilian influencer who fell from a high-rise apartment in São Paulo is now being investigated as a homicide, following new findings that led police to arrest her husband.
Maria Katiane Gomes da Silva, a 25-year-old influencer known for sharing makeup looks and daily lifestyle content, died on November 29 after falling from the 10th floor of the residential building where she lived.
According to Brazilian outlets g1 and O Globo, neighbors reported hearing shouting coming from the apartment shortly before a loud impact was heard outside the building. Emergency responders and Military Police were called, and officers arrived to find Silva deceased.
Her husband, 40-year-old businessman Alex Leandro Bispo dos Santos, was reportedly at the scene, holding her body.
Santos told police that Silva had died by suicide following an argument between the two. Despite his account, investigators did not immediately close the case. Authorities classified the death as suspicious and opened a deeper investigation through the Homicide and Personal Protection Department.
As part of that inquiry, police reviewed surveillance footage from multiple locations inside the condominium. According to g1 and O Globo, the video evidence shows Santos physically attacking Silva in the building’s parking garage earlier that day.
Additional footage allegedly captures the couple arguing inside an elevator, where Santos appears to reach toward Silva’s neck and forcibly remove her from the elevator before returning alone moments later.
Investigators say this footage directly conflicts with Santos’ statement about the events leading up to Silva’s fall. Based on those findings, police obtained a temporary arrest order and took Santos into custody while continuing to pursue a femicide investigation.
Santos’ legal representative did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
In the days following Silva’s death, Santos attended her wake and burial in Ceará, the northeastern Brazilian state where she was laid to rest. Images and videos shared online showed him embracing her coffin during the services, which took place just over a week before his arrest.
Silva had amassed more than 6,000 followers on Instagram, where she documented her routines, beauty tips, and personal milestones. According to g1, she was raised in a rural area of Crateús, Brazil, and worked various jobs in restaurants and supermarkets before relocating to São Paulo in search of new opportunities. It was there that she met Santos, whom she later married.