The Brazilian social media community is in shock after Tamyris Teixeira Santos, a 36-year-old lawyer and martial arts influencer, was discovered dead on a beach in Rio de Janeiro. Authorities found her body three days after she was first reported missing following a swimming trip.
Santos, known for sharing her fitness journey and love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai with over 18,000 Instagram followers, vanished on April 18, 2026. Her body was eventually located at Botafogo Beach on April 21, with family members confirming her identity the next day.
The news has spread quickly across social media, where friends and followers are struggling to understand how an experienced swimmer and athlete could lose her life under such ordinary circumstances. Local police have now released the official cause of death, ruling out foul play in the case.
Disappearance During Beach Outing With Friends in Leblon
Santos spent her last afternoon at Leblon Beach, a popular spot in Rio’s South Zone. She arrived with a group of friends and spent time at a kiosk near Posto 12. Witnesses reported that the group drank alcoholic beverages throughout the afternoon.
Around 5:00 PM, Santos told her friends she wanted to take a swim. She walked toward the water and did not return. Her friends left the beach before she came back, leaving her personal items behind on the sand.
The next day, April 19, kiosk workers noticed that Santos’ belongings—including her bag, phone, and clothes—were still sitting untouched where she had left them. They contacted her family, who immediately filed a missing person report with the 23rd Police District (Leblon).
Fire officials told local reporters that sea conditions on the day of her disappearance were calm and favorable. The fire department also stated they received no emergency calls or rescue requests from that area on April 18.
Body Discovery and Official Identification
The search for Santos continued for three days. On the morning of April 21, the fire department received a formal request at 7:15 AM to look for a missing person in the water.
Search teams began working the coastline. Around 2:15 PM, they found a body along the shore of Botafogo Beach, located several miles from where Santos had last been seen at Leblon.
The body was sent to the Medical Legal Institute (IML) for examination. Officials noted that physical characteristics and tattoos matched Santos’ description. Her family officially identified the body on April 22.
Autopsy Results Show No Crime Involved
Brazilian authorities released the autopsy report on April 23 through the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro. The findings from the IML concluded that Santos died from a combination of a stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident) and mechanical asphyxiation by drowning.
Police stated clearly that the investigation found no evidence of a crime. The Delegacia de Descoberta de Paradeiros (DDPA) reviewed all available evidence and closed the criminal investigation.
“Based on the expert analysis and the investigations carried out by the DDPA, it was concluded that there was no crime,” the police said in an official statement.
The report explained that the stroke likely occurred while Santos was in the water, leading to the drowning. Medical examiners found no signs of physical altercation or external injuries on the body.
Mother Questions Circumstances of Death
Elisabeth Teixeira, Santos’ mother, has publicly expressed doubt about how her daughter could have died. She pointed out that the beach was crowded on a Saturday afternoon, making it hard to believe no one saw what happened.
“She said she was going over there and didn’t come back. The beach was packed. There’s no way someone could drown on a crowded beach!” the grieving mother told TV Globo.
Santos’ mother also confirmed that her daughter was a capable swimmer, which has added to the family’s confusion about the incident.
Witness accounts gathered by local reporters indicated Santos may have had a disagreement with her ex-boyfriend, who was part of the group that day, before she entered the water. Some witnesses said the ex-boyfriend appeared intoxicated when he left the area. Police have not confirmed whether these reports played any role in their investigation.
Who Was Tamyris Teixeira Santos?
Santos built a dual career as both a lawyer and a martial arts content creator. Her Instagram profile reflected her mixed interests, describing her as an Aquarius, a fan of the beach, a fitness enthusiast, and a practitioner of BJJ and Muay Thai.
She regularly shared training videos and lifestyle posts, showing her dedication to martial arts. Her followers appreciated her authentic look at balancing a professional legal career with serious athletic training.
Santos posted her final Instagram photo on April 13, just five days before her disappearance. The image was a simple selfie captioned with a pink heart emoji.
Friends and followers have since filled her comment section with tributes. One person wrote, “Rest in peace, Tamyris 😢.” Others have expressed disbelief that someone so active and strong could die in such an unexpected manner.
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Official Timeline and Key Facts
The complete timeline of events has been confirmed by multiple Brazilian news outlets:
- April 18, 5:00 PM: Santos enters the water at Leblon Beach and does not return
- April 19: Kiosk workers find her belongings still on the beach and contact family
- April 21, 7:15 AM: Fire department begins official search operation
- April 21, 2:15 PM: Body found at Botafogo Beach
- April 22: Family identifies the body at IML
- April 23: Autopsy results released, ruling death as stroke and drowning with no crime
The fire department confirmed that no rescue calls came from Leblon Beach on April 18 despite the favorable sea conditions. This detail has continued to raise questions among those following the case.
Santos’ belongings, which remained on the beach after her friends left, were eventually returned to her family on April 21 by kiosk workers who had kept them safe.
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