Following a series of tragic incidents culminating in a manhunt across New England, Claudio Neves Valente, 48, has been identified as the shooter responsible for the deaths of two students at Brown University and MIT professor Nuno Loureiro. Authorities discovered Neves Valente’s body in a storage unit in Salem, New Hampshire, on the evening of December 18, where he reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The investigation had its breakthrough when a witness stepped forward, revealing an encounter with Neves Valente on the same day as the Brown shooting, which occurred on December 14. This information allowed law enforcement to track his vehicle, a gray Nissan Sentra with Florida plates, which was rented in Boston shortly before the incidents. There are conflicting reports regarding the car’s modifications; however, it is understood that Neves Valente attempted to obscure its identification by covering the plates with another state’s tags.

Neves Valente is alleged to have entered the Barus and Holley engineering building at Brown University, where he opened fire, injuring nine individuals and causing two fatalities. Following this, he is believed to have returned to Boston, where he shot and killed Loureiro in the foyer of his home on December 15. Surveillance footage captured Neves Valente near both the professor’s residence and the storage facility in Salem shortly before he was found deceased.

Authorities confirmed that upon discovery, Neves Valente was in possession of two 9mm Glock handguns, with evidence indicating he had the means to acquire significant amounts of ammunition and body armor. Though the exact timeline of his activities post-shooting remains unclear, investigators are exploring how he obtained the firearms, particularly given that he had been living in Florida prior to the shootings.

The manhunt concluded in Salem with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies converging on the storage site after their investigation pinpointed Neves Valente’s location. Despite his death, the FBI indicated that their work continues, focusing on understanding the motive behind these violent acts. Ballistics testing and further evaluations of materials found in his vehicle are ongoing, as authorities strive to piece together the events leading to these tragic outcomes.

Witness accounts from local residents during the police operation reflected a community in distress and confusion, unsure of the situation unfolding near their homes. Many expressed relief once they were permitted to return home after hours of uncertainty.

Neves Valente, originally from Portugal, had briefly attended Brown University as a doctoral student in physics before withdrawing from the program. His connection to Loureiro dates back to their college years together in the late 1990s in Portugal, although it remains unclear if they maintained contact.

As the investigation advances, many unanswered questions linger regarding Neves Valente’s actions and motivations.