Brown University, MIT shooting suspect likely died days before body found: autopsy

The fishy down the deadly Brown University shooting and the sidesplitting of an MIT prof died by termination days earlier helium was recovered successful a New Hampshire retention unit, authorities confirmed Friday, arsenic investigators proceed searching for a motive down the attacks.

New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella said Friday that the New Hampshire Department of Justice Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy connected the assemblage of Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, 48, who was identified arsenic the fishy successful the Brown University wide shooting and the consequent sidesplitting of an MIT professor.

The introspection confirmed Neves-Valente died from a gunshot coiled to the head, and the mode of decease was ruled a suicide. 

Based connected forensic findings and investigative accusation disposable to date, authorities estimation helium died connected Tuesday, Dec. 16. Neves-Valente was recovered dormant successful a retention installation successful New Hampshire 2 days later, connected Thursday evening.

NOEM ANNOUNCES PAUSE ON IMMIGRANT VISA LOTTERY THAT ALLOWED ALLEGED BROWN SHOOTER TO ENTER US

Federal prosecutors successful Massachusetts released this representation showing the antheral identified successful deadly shootings astatine some Brown University successful Rhode Island and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology successful Cambridge. (Justice Department)

Neves-Valente was publically identified by Providence constabulary arsenic the fishy successful the Dec. 13 shooting astatine Brown University, which occurred during a finals week survey league and near 2 students dead, and 9 others wounded astatine the Barus and Holley Engineering Building.

Authorities aboriginal confirmed helium was besides the fishy successful the Dec. 15 fatal shooting of MIT atomic subject prof Nuno F.G. Loureiro, who was recovered changeable astatine his location successful Brookline, Massachusetts.

Federal investigators besides recovered 2 9mm pistols successful New Hampshire with Neves-Valente’s body, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives's Boston office.

The ATF and FBI, moving done the Connecticut State Police forensic laboratory, positively matched 1 of the guns to the limb utilized successful the Brown shooting. The 2nd weapon was matched to Loureiro's killing, authorities said.

According to Brown University President Christina Paxson, Neves-Valente was a Portuguese nationalist and erstwhile Brown pupil who studied physics from the autumn of 2000 done the outpouring of 2001 earlier withdrawing from the programme successful 2003. He had nary existent affiliation with the assemblage astatine the clip of the shooting connected campus.

"I deliberation it’s harmless to presume that this man, erstwhile helium was a student, spent a large woody of clip successful that gathering for classes and different activities arsenic a Ph.D. pupil successful physics," Paxson said. "He has nary existent progressive affiliation with the assemblage oregon field presence."

EX-FBI OFFICIALS BLAST 'CIRCUS-LIKE' BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTING BRIEFINGS

A constabulary conveyance rests astatine an intersection adjacent transgression country portion astatine Brown University, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, successful Providence, Rhode Island, pursuing a Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 shooting astatine the university.  (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Neves-Valente was recovered dormant Thursday evening aft instrumentality enforcement officers breached a retention portion successful Salem, New Hampshire, wherever helium was believed to beryllium hiding. Authorities said helium acted unsocial successful some attacks.

During the investigation, instrumentality enforcement canvassed vicinity surveillance video, released images of a idiosyncratic of interest, and initially questioned, but aboriginal ruled out, different idiosyncratic earlier identifying Neves-Valente arsenic the suspect.

The 2 Brown students killed were Ella Cook of Alabama and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov of Virginia. Several surviving victims remained hospitalized successful unchangeable condition.

Split representation showing Brown University victims Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, alongside MIT prof Nuno Loureiro, who was killed. (Instagram/elinacoutlakis/GoFundMe/Jake Belcher for MIT)

Sources archer Fox News that investigators are continuing to analyse Neves-Valente’s caller movements, including tracing recognition paper transactions successful the days starring up to the attacks. FBI agents are besides successful Florida, wherever his past known code was reported, according to sources.

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Authorities person not recovered immoderate writings oregon documents indicating a wide motive for the shootings.

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].