by PAULO SILVESTRE [email protected]
Relatives of Australian woman Jacinta Rees, who was found dead at her home in São Brás de Alportel in March 2008, are convinced she was murdered and did not, as police investigations concluded, commit suicide.
Phillip Rees, brother of Jacinta Rees, told the Algarve Resident: “Portugal officials have washed their hands with the murder of my sister. I will never forget the lack of respect of Portugal’s police officers showed to our family.”
He claims that his sister was murdered because she was privy to information that led to her death. “Whatever Jacinta knew or stumbled across she did not deserve to be bludgeoned to death with an axe. It was calculated and evil and those responsible will have to be judged,” he added.
Portuguese police concluded the death was a suicide, but according to Australian newspaper Herald Sun, a new autopsy by Australian authorities concluded that Jacinta Rees died from a “blunt force injury to the left side of the head. The injury pattern with trauma to both head and the left arm raises serious concerns.”
According to the Portuguese press, PJ police, after several investigations, came to the conclusion that the former Australian model suffered from psychiatric problems and died after “a ritual of spiritual nature, causing injuries to her body”.
Two days before being found dead, Jacinta Rees suffered a car accident and told authorities that she was being chased by the devil.
Inside the house, Jacinta had several articles which reinforced the idea that the she practiced rituals.
According to PJ police, who investigated the property, no evidence of robbery or any other crime was found.
They added that traces of blood found at the house showed that after receiving the injury, Jacinta calmly walked through the house until she died, without asking for help.
