Family and friends said goodbye to journalist Dom Phillips at a funeral held this morning (26), in Niterói, in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. The press professional was murdered in the Javari Valleyin Amazonas, where he was working with the indigenist Bruno Pereira, who was also killed. 
The British journalist’s family arrived at Parque da Colina cemetery around 9 am, when Phillips’ funeral began. The ceremony was followed by the cremation of his remains, held in the same cemetery.
Dom’s widow, Alessandra Sampaio, and the journalist’s sister, Sian Phillips, read statements in Portuguese and English to the press, highlighting the Brit’s love for Brazil, his commitment to environmental conservation and the need to continue his fight. .
Alessandra Sampaio thanked the support she received from indigenous peoples, the press, journalist friends and everyone who participated in the searches and showed solidarity with Dom, Bruno and their families.
“Today, Dom will be cremated in the country he loved, his chosen home, Brazil,” he said. “Dom was a very special person, not only for standing up for what he believed in as a professional, but also for having a huge heart and a great love for humanity.”
Alessandra Sampaio, the correspondent’s wife, surrounded by family, speaks during the funeral of English journalist Don Phillips, at Parque da Colina Cemetery, in Niterói. – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
The widow said that the family will remain attentive to all developments in the investigation, “demanding justice in the broadest meaning of the term”, she said. “We renew our fight so that our pain and that of Bruno Pereira’s family are not repeated, as well as the families of other journalists and environmental defenders, who remain at risk”.
Couple planning adoption
Sian Phillips said that Alessandra and the journalist planned to adopt two Brazilian children and recalled that Dom was passionate about soccer, music and Brazil’s natural landscapes.
“As we remember Dom as a kind, fun and cool older brother, we are saddened that he was denied the chance to share those qualities as a father to the next generation.”
The journalist’s sister highlighted that he was a professional who shared a diverse range of stories about Brazilians, from the rich and powerful to favela residents and indigenous peoples.
“He was killed because he tried to tell the world what was happening to the forest and its inhabitants. His mission confronted the interests of individuals who are determined to exploit the Amazon rainforest without worrying about the destructive impact of their illegal activities,” he said.
Sian Phillips, sister of the correspondent, surrounded by family, speaks during the funeral of English journalist Don Phillips, at Cemitério Parque da Colina, in Niterói. – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
Sian said that Dom was working on a project for a book on sustainable development models that can ensure the preservation of the Amazon, both as a home for traditional peoples and a stabilizing factor for the global climate.
“Dom understood the need for an urgent change in both the political and economic approach to conservation. Family and friends are committed to continuing this work, even in this moment of tragedy. The story needs to be told.”
shot dead
Outside the cemetery, a group of protesters carried a banner asking: “Who ordered to kill Dom and Bruno?”. According to the Federal Police investigation, there are no indications that there are principals in the criminal action that killed them both.
The journalist and the indigenist were last seen in Vale do Javari on June 5th, and, after searches, mortal remains were found on June 15th. The following day, the bodies were taken to Brasília, where they were examined and identified by the National Institute of Criminalistics.
The remains were located in a place indicated by the fisherman Amarildo da Costa Oliveira, known as “Pelado”, who is one of the suspects in the crime, confessed his participation and was arrested.
In a note released on the 18th, the Federal Police reported that Bruno Pereira was killed with two shots in the abdominal and thoracic region, and one in the head, while Dom Phillips was shot in the abdomen/thorax. The ammunition used in the assassination was typical of hunting.
Dom Phillips was a contributor to the British newspaper The Guardian and had already produced reports on deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest. Bruno Pereira, in turn, was a licensed Funai employee and denounced threats suffered in the region, information confirmed by the PF. He worked as a collaborator for Univaja, an entity maintained by the indigenous people of the region, which focused on preventing the invasion of the reserve by fishermen, hunters and drug traffickers.
Last Thursday, the Federal Police transported the bodies Bruno and Dom de Brasília to the states where their funerals would be held. Bruno Pereira’s body was veiled and cremated last Fridayin Paulista, in the metropolitan region of Recife (PE).
