Valter de Vargas Aita, a 41-year-old Brazilian bodybuilder and personal trainer, was found fatally stabbed on Sunday morning in the city of Chapecó, police said, and his girlfriend — who is suspected of the killing — was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Authorities said Aita had been stabbed multiple times and was discovered on a stairwell after leaving a bloody trail while trying to escape the scene. Police released photographs from the scene showing extensive blood on the stairwell and adjacent floor areas. The woman, who lived with Aita and is 43 years old, was found with a stab wound and taken to hospital for emergency surgery; she remains in critical condition, investigators said.
Police have not formally identified the woman but said if she survives her injuries they will arrest her on suspicion of murder. Officers also reported that she was already wanted in connection with an armed robbery investigation that could carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Investigators described the incident as arising from a "heated argument" that escalated into violence, but they did not provide further details about what precipitated the confrontation. Forensic teams processed the scene and officers continue to question neighbors and potential witnesses, police said.
Aita was known in regional bodybuilding circles. He was a World Fitness Federation runner-up, a five-time state bodybuilding champion and worked as a personal trainer. He maintained a social media presence through which he shared diet and workout tips, according to his public profiles.
Chapecó authorities have released limited information while the probe continues and have not disclosed the names of family members or the hospital where the woman is being treated. No arrests have been made as of the latest update, pending the outcome of the woman's medical treatment and further investigative work. Police said they will issue additional statements as the inquiry progresses.