Larissa Brito’s mother has spoken out after the Brazilian model was found stabbed to death in her ex-boyfriend’s car during a routine traffic stop in France.
Brito, 25, was discovered hidden under plastic bags on the back seat Monday on a motorway in Brignoles, a town in southeastern France, according to local reports. Her ex-boyfriend Mathieu, 29, was arrested at the scene and a murder investigation was opened.
The couple’s relationship had lasted five months before Brito ended it upon learning of his alleged ties to organized crime, reports indicated. Mathieu had prior convictions, including for drug-related offenses.
Following the breakup, Mathieu allegedly began stalking Brito, forcing her to relocate from the area to Nice in an effort to escape him. The harassment continued despite the move.
On the day she died, Mathieu appeared unannounced at Brito’s home. She managed to send a final message to her mother, Liane Brito Nogueira, that would become a chilling warning.
“Mathieu is here,” Brito texted her mother, according to reports.
Liliane, as she is also known, immediately called Mathieu directly to demand answers about her daughter’s safety. He claimed Brito was sleeping, a story that failed to convince the concerned mother. When Liliane threatened to contact police, Mathieu blocked her number entirely.
“By then he had already killed my daughter,” she told Brazilian outlet Metropoles.
The exact time of Brito’s death remains unknown. However, Liliane alleged that Mathieu took steps to conceal evidence of the crime at the apartment. “He cleaned the entire flat to get rid of all the fingerprints he had left behind,” she claimed.
Brito was reported missing by a friend before her body was discovered during the random customs check. The timeline suggests only hours passed between the disappearance report and the gruesome discovery on the motorway.
Brito had moved to France three years earlier, building a life and modeling career abroad. Her death has left her family struggling to bring her home.
“I need to see my daughter,” Liliane said.
The family has launched a fundraiser to cover the costs of returning Brito’s body to Brazil for burial. An autopsy is scheduled to take place next week.