The Rhode Island attorney general revealed Thursday that a Brown University graduate-turned-custodian provided a crucial tip that helped investigators track down a suspect in the shootings of a Brown University student and an MIT professor.
Authorities announced that shooting suspect Claudio Neves Valente, 48, was found dead at a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, and Peter Neronha told a news conference that a man who had crossed paths with Valente helped investigate the shooting.
Neronha said the man had “completely exposed the case”. “The man took us to the car, and the car took us to the name.”
Providence, Rhode Island, Police Chief Oscar Perez said the man had confronted the suspect before the shooting because he did not appear to belong in the building.
The suspect then “ran off” and asked the man, “Why are you harassing me?” according to Perez. The informant then walked away.
“This information is critical to us because it corroborates what our detectives saw in the video and provides a good explanation,” Perez added.
Authorities tracked the vehicle to a rental agency in Massachusetts and from there to New Hampshire.
Valente died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
On Monday, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward “for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of those responsible for the mass shooting at Brown University.”
The FBI and Providence Police Department did not immediately confirm the report that the tipster was homeless. In an affidavit, authorities referred to the witness as “John” as the guardian.
The FBI separately told The Daily Beast that it could not say whether the bonus would be paid or to whom.
But FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted Doakes said at a news conference Thursday that the man who confronted Valente “most likely…absolutely” [get] Certain aspects of this award. “
“I will also tell you that we have a lot of other suggestions from the public,” he added. “I don’t usually deal with the distribution of these awards, but it’s logical to think that the person is absolutely entitled to some of the award.”
Perez said the person who was “very cooperative and helpful” to them was a Brown University graduate.
Neronha later added: “He was extremely articulate and his testimony was not only credible but persuasive if we needed it. He was the best witness I have ever seen.”
“I don’t know if he’s going to get an award, but if I have a vote, he will,” he said.
Brown University President Christina Paxson said Valente was a student at Brown University from 2000 to 2001, pursuing a graduate degree in physics.
“The majority of physics classes at Brown have been taking place in Burroughs and Hawley’s classrooms and labs,” she added, referring to the location of the shooting.
Valente is also suspected of killing MIT physics professor Nuno Loureiro in Monday night’s shooting, police said.
Authorities believe the two attended the same school in Lisbon, Portugal.
“I think there’s a lot that’s unknown in terms of motivation,” Neronha said.