The mayor of Anapu, Brazil, Luiz Reis do Carvalho, denied having any role in a supposed plan to protect the perpetrators of the murder of a US missionary, Dorothy Stang, who was gunned down on February 12 in a small town in the state of Para.

Carvalho was named by two of the suspects being held for the murder of the 73 year-old missionary.  The suspects claimed Carvalho was mentioned as somebody who would provide money for their defense.  Carvalho told TV Globo he was surprised and “outraged” by the accusations.

Local officials said Carvalho was an old adversary of Stang and they called for an investigation into the accusations.