Corrupt Investigative Journalist Hires Hitmen to Kill Criminals Live On-Air to Boost Ratings
That’s Show Biz!
Wallace Souza, a Brazilian ex-cop turned journalist, was the creator and host of the hit TV program Canal Livre during the 1980’s. This live-action, investigative show followed Souza and his brothers as they chased criminals and ventured to crime scenes. It was one of Brazil’s top shows for decades. The people loved him; they considered him a hero of journalism. They thought of him as a protector, as he would stand up to criminals and take them down, no matter what the risk was.
He had such an impact on the population that he went into politics starting in 1998, when he was elected to the state legislative assembly until 2006.
In 2009, however, he was accused of setting up assassinations and murders beforehand to boost ratings. It makes sense, right? How would their crew know exactly where the criminals were, and who they were? How did they arrive on the crime scene before the police? Souza claimed this was due to police scanners and having crew members present at morgues and police stations. When authorities searched Souza’s house, they found weapons, stolen cash, and a note that listed the hitmen that killed the criminals.
Souza and his brothers, Fausto and Carlos, were later accused of drug trafficking and killing rival trafficking ring members. Taking it a step further, Wallace was involved in a child-sex trafficking ring. While Coari mayor Adail Pinheiro was also involved, Wallace blamed the whole ordeal on Pinheiro, a sordid attempt to hold onto his political power.
Catching the Killer
Raphael, Wallace’s son, was charged with homicide and drug trafficking after they found evidence of his father’s crimes in his room. In 2009, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison. He only served 5.
Wallace had political immunity, so he could not be tried at Brazil’s local district courts. His case was to go up to the Supreme Court, which usually takes years. He and Raphael went on the run, but they were later found and arrested. Before he could attend his trial, he died of a heart attack, most likely caused by a liver disease called Budd-Chiari syndrome. He would have faced the charges of murder, drug trafficking, intimidation of witnesses, illegal carrying of arms and formation of a criminal gang.
His two sons and Wallace’s followers are still adamant that he is innocent. Despite the evidence and confessions from Wallace’s crew members, they do not believe that he was capable of committing these heinous crimes for publicity. The Netflix docuseries Killer Ratings is available now.