New particulars about how police caught as much as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, the 48-year-old former Brown graduate pupil who allegedly perpetrated a mass taking pictures at Brown College and killed an MIT professor, have emerged after a dayslong manhunt the place he made a collection of strikes designed to evade authorities.
Windfall Police Chief Oscar Perez mentioned native police helped observe down Valente, who was discovered useless in a New Hampshire storage unit, thanks, partly, to surveillance video and an in depth tip a couple of automobile being pushed by an individual who famous odd conduct by the suspect.
A gray Nissan automotive is parked at a storage facility, the place the Brown College shooter, recognized by authorities as Claudio Neves Valente, took his personal life, in Salem, New Hampshire, on this handout picture launched December 19, 2025.
FBI Boston by way of Reuters
“I am being useless critical. Police must look into a gray Nissan with Florida plates, presumably a rental,” the tipster instructed police, in line with a criticism launched by Rhode Island authorities. “That was the automotive he was driving.”
The tip and surveillance video, together with using license-plate reader know-how led investigators to a automotive rental company in Massachusetts.
There, police obtained a duplicate of the rental settlement with the suspect’s identify, in addition to video of the suspect that matched the movies of the particular person of curiosity seen on the Brown College campus on the day of the taking pictures, the criticism mentioned.
That discovery finally led investigators to a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, the place the suspect was discovered useless, officers mentioned.
Monetary information and video proof confirmed that the storage unit belonged to the alleged suspect and that the rental automobile was linked to each the Rhode Island and Massachusetts instances.
Authorities recognized the suspect as Valente, a Portuguese nationwide and former Brown College pupil whose final recognized tackle was in Miami, Florida. Officers mentioned Valente died by suicide Thursday night.
Officers confirmed that Valente was discovered with a satchel containing two firearms, and proof recovered from the automobile matched what was discovered on the Windfall crime scene.
Federal authorities confirmed that shortly earlier than 9 p.m. on Thursday, FBI SWAT groups executed court-authorized search warrants at a storage facility in Salem, which is the place they discovered Valente’s physique.
Claudio Neves Valente, suspect within the Brown College taking pictures in Windfall, on this undated handout picture launched, December 18, 2025.
U.S. Lawyer Massachusetts by way of Reuters
Portugal’s Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) confirmed to ABC Information that Cláudio Manuel Neves Valente studied between 1995 and 2000 within the college’s physics engineering program, the identical one attended on the time by slain MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro .
A 1998 announcement in Portugal’s official Diario da República referred to Valente’s appointment as a instructing assistant at IST and a 2000 discover in the identical publication mentions his termination from the function.
A spokesperson for IST declined to remark additional on Valente’s historical past on the establishment, as a result of ongoing investigation and out of respect for the family and friends of Loureiro.
Brown officers confirmed that Valente was enrolled on the college from the autumn of 2000 via the spring of 2001 as a graduate pupil in physics, coming into Brown’s graduate program in September 2000 earlier than taking a depart of absence in April 2001 and formally withdrawing in 2003.
“He was not a present pupil, was not an worker and didn’t obtain a level from the College, attending for under three semesters as a graduate pupil till taking a depart in 2001 and formally withdrawing efficient July 31, 2003,” Brown College President Christina Paxson wrote in a letter to college students and school Thursday.
Throughout his time at Brown, he was enrolled solely in physics programs, which had been usually held within the Barus & Holley constructing. College information point out he has had no energetic affiliation with Brown for greater than 20 years.
Police mentioned the suspect acted alone and that there isn’t any indication, at the moment, of further deliberate assaults. Investigators haven’t recognized any writings, recognized felony historical past or clear motive.
Officers mentioned forensic groups are nonetheless processing proof recovered in New Hampshire, together with firearms, and can examine it with ballistic and DNA proof from the Windfall crime scene.
Paxson mentioned the college continues to be reviewing how the suspect gained entry to the constructing. She mentioned the constructing was unlocked that day as a result of exams had been being held, and the college will look at safety procedures shifting ahead.
Investigators mentioned Valente obtained lawful permanency in April 2017 and was issued a inexperienced card.
Secretary of Homeland Safety Kristi Noem mentioned in an X submit that Valente acquired his visa via the variety visa lottery program, and introduced that, at President Donald Trump’s course, she was pausing this system.
Claudio Neves Valente, suspect within the Brown College taking pictures in Windfall, Rhode Island, picks up a automobile at an Alamo Hire a Automotive on this body seize from CCTV launched in an affidavit by the Windfall Police, December 18, 2025.
Windfall Police by way of Reuters
Every year, the State Division awards as much as 50,000 immigrant visas to “winners” of the variety visa lottery. This system was created by Congress in 1990 to permit candidates from international locations with low charges of immigration into the U.S. to return right here.
The winners are chosen at random, however they need to nonetheless undergo a prolonged utility course of, which incorporates submitting felony information, being interviewed at an embassy or consulate, and assembly different necessities, resembling having a Excessive College Diploma or two years of labor expertise. Candidates are then allowed to use for lawful everlasting resident standing.
Investigators mentioned they recognized Valente by identify late Wednesday evening and weighed whether or not releasing his id might trigger him to flee or take additional motion.
Officers mentioned they believed he may return the rental automotive in Boston or try to depart the realm, and so they wished the chance to arrest him with out alerting him that police had been closing in.
Officers mentioned it stays unclear precisely when the suspect took his personal life, however famous that he signed into the storage facility however was by no means seen leaving.
The location was secured by federal brokers, and investigators mentioned an post-mortem will assist decide the timing of his demise.
ABC Information’ Armando Garcia and Christopher Looft contributed to this report.
