The Taylor family – involved with the death of a burglar in Vilamoura last weekend – face an agonising two week wait to hear whether or not they will face criminal charges.
Father Trevor, 60, and son Scott, 31 are now official suspects (“arguidos”) in the case which has plunged the Algarve back into the media spotlight.
According to Portuguese press this morning, a preliminary autopsy has revealed that 35-year-old repeat offender Paulo Brito died from asphyxia, but the Institute of Legal Medicine in Faro is seeking “complementary tests”, including a toxicology report of Brito’s blood.
This is likely to take “around two weeks”, reports Correio da Manhã, stressing the results will be “essential” in determining whether or not the Public Ministry presses forwards with any formal charges.
As all media have been explaining, father and son – “particularly Scott”, writes CM – could face accusations of homicide if the Public Ministry considers there was “an excess of legitimate defence”.
In other words, if the pair exerted too much force in their restraining of Brito, which has been variously described as a “chokehold”, “headlock” and “necklock”.
Meantime, newspapers have wasted no time talking to friends, workmates and relatives of the men who all describe them as “devastated” by what happened, and as people who would “never hurt anyone intentionally”.
