A woman has been arrested for the alleged murder of an American millionaire who is believed to have died after being fatally drugged in a “Goodnight, Cinderella” scam.
D’Wayne Antonio Morris, 43, was found dead in his rented apartment in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 8 this year. He was drugged before he reportedly began convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
Police say Morris and a friend were tricked by two women who then drugged them with GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), a powerful nervous system depressant, in an attempt to rob them. His companion survived the attack.
Leticia Clara Bento da Silva, 23, who is believed to have met the pair at a local bar, has now been arrested for Morris’ murder.
A second suspect, who was caught on surveillance camera leaving the apartment with a woman believed to be Da Silva, has not been identified and remains at large.
Morris, of Minneapolis, was the founder of Blue Waters Consulting and Soul Community Development Corporation and managed a $14 million business portfolio.
D’wayne Antonio Morris, 43 (left), was found dead in his rented apartment in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 8 this year. Leticia Clara Bento da Silva, 23 (right), has been arrested for his murder.
Two women are believed to have drugged Morris with GHB, a powerful nervous system depressant, and fled the scene. Morris and his friend are shown on CCTV footage entering the rented apartment where he was found dead with two women, who are suspected of his murder.
He had traveled to Brazil on business when he fell victim to a drug scheme targeting tourists allegedly carried out by Da Silva and an unidentified accomplice.
The two women are believed to have drugged Morris with GHB, a powerful nervous system depressant, and fled the scene.
Morris was with a friend in the Lapa neighborhood when he encountered da Silva and her friend in the early hours of the day of the incident.
Reports suggest the group had drinks at a bar before heading to the rented apartment where Morris was later found dead.
The businessman’s friend felt ill and went to another location. He later told police he felt dizzy and disoriented.
Morris and the two women arrived at the apartment about 20 minutes after midnight on August 8.
CCTV footage shows the two women leaving the building alone just two hours later. A doorman can be seen letting them out as they enter a waiting black vehicle.
Surveillance camera footage showed the two women leaving the building alone just two hours later and getting into a waiting black vehicle (pictured).
Leticia Clara Bento da Silva appears in a series of photographs released by authorities. Police say she has a criminal record for similar offences and was a suspect in several cases involving drug-related robberies.
A second suspect (pictured), who was caught on surveillance camera leaving the apartment with a woman believed to be Da Silva, has not been identified and remains at large.
Morris, a father of one, was found unconscious in the apartment that morning. When authorities arrived at the scene, he was already dead.
Police say after being drugged, Morris convulsed and foamed at the mouth. The Black Star of Atlanta reported.
Witness accounts and investigations pointed to da Silva, who police say has a criminal record for similar crimes and was suspected in several drug-related robberies.
The U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro confirmed Morris’ death and offered its “deepest condolences” to his family in a statement.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family for their loss and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” the consulate said.
Morris, who appears in his U.S. passport photo, had traveled to Brazil on business. He was the founder of Blue Waters Consulting and Soul Community Development Corporation and managed a $14 million portfolio of companies.
“We are closely following local authorities’ investigations into the cause of death. Out of respect for the family at this difficult time, we have no further comment.”
Morris’ life partner Tamatha Richman paid tribute to the businessman, telling him: CBS News last week that “being a partner with D’Wayne is really about sharing him with the world.”
She shared how her family had “traveled to a variety of countries” and were often very safe, staying “very aware of the things that are necessary when you become an international traveler.”
“It doesn’t make sense. D’Wayne was in the country less than 24 hours. D’Wayne hadn’t even spent the night in Brazil,” he said of his killing. “This is a situation where D’Wayne was clearly the target.”
Richman, who is organizing a celebration of Morris’ life in Minnesota, said the family has faced several challenges in bringing his body home. He will later be buried in Jamaica, where he was born, on his family’s land.
“We have been informed by the Embassy and local authorities that this process may take some time,” he wrote in a GoFundMe A page was created in his honor. He said the family will keep everyone informed about the situation.
The crowdfunding campaign, which aims to help the family with expenses during this difficult time, has already raised more than $30,000.
A GoFundMe account aimed at helping the family bring Morris’ body home has already raised more than $30,000. Pictured: D’Wayne Morris
“Goodnight, Cinderella” is contemporary Brazilian slang for Rohypnol, GHB, or any drug that incapacitates another person, leaving them vulnerable to mugging or robbery.
GHB can also cause amnesia, meaning that when people recover from the effects of the drug, they may not remember what happened.
In addition, it slows the transmission of messages between the brain and the body and, in higher doses, can cause sedation, confusion, loss of consciousness and respiratory depression, resulting in death.
