Timeline of Suspect's Death
Government officials have provided new information regarding the timeline of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente's death. According to a press release issued on Friday, December 19, by the New Hampshire Department of Justice, the 48-year-old former Brown University student from Portugal is estimated to have died on December 16, 2025. This finding was based on an autopsy report cited in the release.
Official Statements and Details
During a press conference on Thursday, December 18, authorities confirmed that Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, with the manner of death ruled as suicide. His body was later discovered in a storage facility in New Hampshire. Attorney General John M. Formella and the Chief Medical Examiner shared these updates, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Brown University President Christina Paxson noted on Thursday that Neves Valente had been a graduate student in the physics department from 2000 to 2001. She stated, "It is safe to assume that this man, when he was a student, spent a lot of time in that building," referring to the Barus & Holley building where the shooting occurred.
Incident and Aftermath
The attack took place at approximately 4 p.m. local time on December 13, when a lone gunman opened fire in a hallway and then entered a lecture hall. Around 60 students had just concluded a two-hour economics preparation session for winter exams at the time. The victims included Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, who were identified by family members as the two students killed.
Investigators have also linked Neves Valente to the death of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro, a 47-year-old Portuguese national who was shot and killed in his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday, December 15. Reports indicate that Loureiro and Neves Valente knew each other and had studied together in Lisbon.
Investigation Progress
Following an extensive manhunt, authorities tracked Neves Valente with assistance from an anonymous Reddit user who observed the suspect near the scene. The user wrote, "I’m being dead serious. The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental. That was the car he was driving." According to an affidavit, the individual noted that Neves Valente locked the car and then backed away suddenly, which seemed "odd," prompting closer attention. The source added that they then saw the suspect circle the block.
In Thursday’s press conference, FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks remarked, "even though the suspect was found dead tonight, our work is not done."
