Seven charged in death of Brazilian radio broadcaster

Seven people have been charged in the on-air killing of Brazilian radio broadcaster Gleydson Carvalho in August in the northeastern state of Ceara.

Among the suspects charged Aug. 27 are the uncle and nephew of the mayor of the city of Martinópole, about 30 miles (49 km) south of the beach town of Camocim where Carvalho was killed, news outlets including the Brazil's Agencia Estado news wire reported. Local prosecutors say the motive for the killing was to avenge Carvalho's on-air criticism of Martinópole's mayor, James Bel.

Those charged with first-degree murder and criminal conspiracy include the suspected gunmen, Thiago Lemos da Silva and Israel Marques Carneiro, who were paid the equivalent of $9,000 for the killing, Agencia Estado said. Also among those charged were Daniel Lennon, Martinópole's treasurer and the nephew of Bel, and João Batista, the mayor's uncle. Prosecutors said Lennon lent his motorcycle to da Silva and Carneiro to carry out the killing.

Shot dead, live on-air: Brazilian anti-corruption journalist Gleydson Carvalho | http://t.co/wTQWsJIv0w pic.twitter.com/L92MityCyt

— Listening Post (@AJListeningPost) August 10, 2015

Carvalho was shot five times by two men while broadcasting from the studio of Radio Libertade in Camocim Aug. 6. Carvalho had previously received political threats for his on air statements, the New York Daily News reported Aug. 10, citing Autran Santos, a friend of Carvalho.

Carvalho is the third journalist to be killed in Brazil this year because of their work. Radio journalist Djalma Santos da Conceição and blogger Evany José Metzker were killed in a one-week period in May. Between 2000 and 2014, 38 journalists were killed in Brazil, according to the nonprofit group Reporters Without Borders.