Fugitive for murder of businessman in Ponta Grossa, Pastor Paulo is arrested in Alagoas

The arrest of Pastor Paulo was carried out after an integrated operation between security forces that located Paulo Santos da Silva, known as Pastor Paulo, pointed out by the Civil Police of Paraná as coordinator of the murder of businessman José Claiton Leal Machado, which occurred in April 2022, in Ponta Grossa.

The suspect was arrested on Friday night (18) during a blockade carried out by the Federal Highway Police (PRF) on BR-101, in the municipality of São Miguel dos Campos, in Alagoas. During the approach, Paul presented false documentation and was also found guilty of this crime.

According to the Civil Police of Paraná (PCPR), the location of the investigated was the result of a continuous monitoring work carried out by the Homicide Sector of the 13th Police Subdivision of Ponta Grossa. The teams carried out several diligences until the suspect’s whereabouts were identified.

Before the arrest, in August 2026, civilian police of Paraná, together with the Military Police of São Paulo, had already carried out an attempted capture in a cover belonging to the investigated, located in Praia Grande (SP).

The arrest was possible after the exchange of information between different security forces, including the Civil Police of Paraná (PCPR), Civil Police of São Paulo (PCSP), Civil Police of Bahia (PCBA), Civil Police of Alagoas (PCAL) and Federal Road Police (PRF).

Paulo Santos da Silva had already been indicted and pronounced for the murder and now remains at the disposal of the judiciary for the progress of legal measures.

Remember the murder of José Claiton Leal Machado

The murder of businessman José Claiton Leal Machado took place in April 2022, in Ponta Grossa. According to the investigation conducted by the Homicide Sector of the 13th Police Subdivision, the crime was allegedly planned and executed after conflicts involving professional relations.

The Civil Police pointed to the businessman Oséias Gomes, CEO of the company where the victim worked, as intellectual principal and financier of the crime. The investigation was based on analysis of telematic data, breach of bank secrecy and survey of financial movements.

According to PCPR, the amounts were transferred to those involved in the execution of the murder and used to finance the logistics of the ambush carried out in front of the victim’s residence.

According to the investigation, the motivation would be related to conflicts within the company and disputes involving the professional future of José Claiton.

Network of those involved in crime

The investigation identified different participants identified as members of the criminal action:

Diones Henrique Rodrigues Raimundo: Appointed as a direct executor of the murder and already convicted.

Paulo Santos da Silva, known as Pastor Paulo: indicated as coordinator of the crime and who was on the run until he was located.

Wallax Alves da Silva and João Victor of Gama Cezário: appointed as collaborators and awaiting trial in freedom.

The businessman Oséias Gomes was indicted for qualified homicide, with qualifiers related to the awkward motive and the use of recourse that made it difficult to defend the victim.

The arrest of Pastor Paulo closes an important stage of the investigation, but the judicial process follows with the other measures determined by the Justice.

The owner of Odonto Excellence is indicted for the murder of director in PG