A Brazilian police investigation centers on a theory that Majorcan chef David Peregrina, 53, and his wife, Érica da Silva Santos, 38, were the targets of a deadly attack at their home and restaurant near Porto Seguro. Local press reports have framed these as the leading hypothesis as detectives pursue every angle surrounding the killings.

Authorities note that there were no signs of a robbery at the restaurant. The only access to the property appears to be by river, a detail that has shaped speculation about the assailants intent. Real time security cameras captured some footage, but the recordings were not preserved, a fact that could limit investigators in piecing together the sequence of events. The couple is believed to have felt threatened, and their son, who lived on the property, happened to be away at the time of the crime.

The crime scene is now the focus of an ongoing probe into motive and identity. Police are examining banking records and phone activity linked to the victims in an effort to identify possible links to the case and to understand any movements that could reveal why this crime occurred.

By the start of the week, investigators had spoken with three residents from the surrounding Pau do Macaco island area to learn if there were any boat movements on the day of the murder. The goal is to determine whether the event involved outsiders arriving by water and to map potential routes used by those responsible.

David Peregrina was found on the ground floor of the facility with multiple gunshot wounds, while his wife was discovered outside, unclothed, but without signs of sexual assault. Early accounts suggest Érica da Silva was taking a shower upstairs when the gunfire began. She reportedly attempted to flee by leaping from a first floor window and was subsequently shot in the head. The contrast between the two scenes is guiding investigators toward a tightly coordinated operation rather than a spontaneous act.

Convicted of fraud in Mallorca

David Peregrina left Mallorca for Brazil in 2012 amid a high profile case involving a large mortgage scheme. He faced convictions for fraud, embezzlement, and document falsification, receiving a sentence that exceeded six years. The case involved a bank branch in Muro where a number of fraudulent mortgages were processed in the names of front persons, resulting in substantial losses for the institution, exceeding two million euros. After his arrest in the late 2000s, Peregrina fled to Brazil and remained a fugitive for a period of time. He later agreed to surrender and spent time in preventive detention before being released. He reportedly fled again after renewed legal actions were issued by the Palma de Mallorca Court.

Reports indicate that Peregrina and his wife settled in Porto Seguro where they ran the Ilha dos Ribeirinhos restaurant, earning recognition as a chef renowned for Spanish cuisine and paella. He was an active participant in regional gastronomy events, cultivating a reputation that extended beyond their local community.