Woman accused of killing mother in Olhão remanded in custody

The 40-year-old woman accused of killing her mother and burying her body in a balcony planter at their home in Olhão has been remanded in custody pending trial.

The decision was made following the suspect’s first judicial hearing after her arrest earlier this week.

According to the Judicial Police (PJ), the victim, aged 58, was found buried in a planter on the balcony of her home and showed clear signs of a violent death.

Police believe the suspect, her daughter, had been living at the property in recent months.

Investigators also said they had gathered evidence suggesting the woman was preparing to leave the Algarve. Before her arrest, she had allegedly cut her hair very short and changed the way she dressed in an apparent attempt to alter her appearance.

The woman has a criminal record linked to domestic violence against her mother and had been serving a prison sentence since 2021. However, she failed to return to prison after being granted temporary release in January 2024 and had been wanted by authorities ever since.

Speaking after the arrest, João Garcia, head of the PJ’s Southern Directorate, said investigators were dealing with “a qualified homicide” and had already presented the evidence gathered so far to the judicial authorities.

The PJ only became involved after the victim was reported missing and said it was initially unaware of the family’s history of conflict.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.