Federal authorities have arrested Flavio Alcantara Dias, 43, an immigrant from Brazil, in connection with the strangulation death of Brianna Connolly, 33, in her Massachusetts home. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated that Dias had been released into the United States under the Biden administration, despite previous arrests for driving under the influence and aggravated assault.
According to ICE, Dias illegally entered the U.S. in April 2019. An immigration judge granted his motion to terminate immigration hearings in October 2024 based on a technicality, ending his immigration case despite his criminal history and unlawful presence. ICE asserts that the Biden administration subsequently released him into the country.
"The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. "7 of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. We are urging the Framingham Police Department to participate in a controlled transfer of this criminal illegal alien to get him out of our communities once and for all."
Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Brandt recounted a 911 call Dias made after an altercation with Connolly. Brandt stated that Dias clearly said, "Can I have police? A homicide just happened here right now." He then reportedly said, "I ended up killing a woman by mistake." Brandt added that Dias claimed he "strangled her" and that he had been speaking Portuguese.
Brandt told the court that Dias told police he and Connolly had been using drugs and got into an argument because he desired sexual intimacy and she did not. Dias claimed he fell asleep and awoke to find Connolly not breathing. Police observed blood marks on Connolly's forehead and the back of her head, as well as a "fabric-y cord around her neck."
Miami 25 News reported that Dias is being held without bail. ICE reiterated its stance: "Our message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you."