Terry McCoy

It was intended to be a short trip, three days on the river. And they would go down. They were going to spend two nights at the end of the river and come home. And that was going to be it.

It was intended to be a short trip, three days on the river. And they would go down. They were going to spend two nights at the end of the river and come home. And that was going to be it.

You had a lot of very impoverished people going to very remote places, working for ultimately rubber barons. A lot of people end up living along the rivers and becoming fishermen and hunters later on. That was one wave of migration. Another wave of migration was driven by the government.

You had a lot of very impoverished people going to very remote places, working for ultimately rubber barons. A lot of people end up living along the rivers and becoming fishermen and hunters later on. That was one wave of migration. Another wave of migration was driven by the government.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a military dictatorship took over with a dream of taming what had thus far been untamed. And they called it A land without men for men without land. That meant that we're going to populate this area and make it ours. Because until then, the Amazon had been part of Brazil, but totally separate from Brazil.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a military dictatorship took over with a dream of taming what had thus far been untamed. And they called it A land without men for men without land. That meant that we're going to populate this area and make it ours. Because until then, the Amazon had been part of Brazil, but totally separate from Brazil.

So it became completely anarchic that people would just take land, claim it was theirs, sell it to someone else, and it also became this huge system of cutting down the forest to claim it. So pretty much, they built a pathway into this new area. They did that, but they didn't do enough to develop what was at the end of the pathway. And it created this very anarchic, violent, and lawless place.

So it became completely anarchic that people would just take land, claim it was theirs, sell it to someone else, and it also became this huge system of cutting down the forest to claim it. So pretty much, they built a pathway into this new area. They did that, but they didn't do enough to develop what was at the end of the pathway. And it created this very anarchic, violent, and lawless place.

This area in recent years has been subsumed by crime. It's at the nexus of three different countries with a lot of drug trafficking going on between them. And this driving of crime also resulted in a ripple effect of people becoming illegal fishers and illegal hunters. And they would poach inside of these indigenous territories. These are armed fishermen, poachers, and armed hunters.

This area in recent years has been subsumed by crime. It's at the nexus of three different countries with a lot of drug trafficking going on between them. And this driving of crime also resulted in a ripple effect of people becoming illegal fishers and illegal hunters. And they would poach inside of these indigenous territories. These are armed fishermen, poachers, and armed hunters.

And one of his most animating political calls was the right to develop the Amazon and to pretty much do away with the nuisance of international pressures to say they couldn't do what they wanted to do with the Amazon.

And one of his most animating political calls was the right to develop the Amazon and to pretty much do away with the nuisance of international pressures to say they couldn't do what they wanted to do with the Amazon.

The Amazon, for years, has been protected by several agencies in Brazil that protect safeguard the environment, safeguard indigenous rights. And what Bolsonaro ultimately did was strangle those organizations, those agencies that had those responsibilities. And as those agencies withered, crime surged and crime came in and deforestation rocketed. What keeps the lid on top

The Amazon, for years, has been protected by several agencies in Brazil that protect safeguard the environment, safeguard indigenous rights. And what Bolsonaro ultimately did was strangle those organizations, those agencies that had those responsibilities. And as those agencies withered, crime surged and crime came in and deforestation rocketed. What keeps the lid on top

It's the strength of these governmental agencies and indigenous communities to defend the force. And what Bolsonaro did was he lifted the lid.

It's the strength of these governmental agencies and indigenous communities to defend the force. And what Bolsonaro did was he lifted the lid.

The morning he left, he was talking to the manager, and he told the manager... We're heading east down the river.

The morning he left, he was talking to the manager, and he told the manager... We're heading east down the river.

But that work of going out there and surveilling these people and then taking those documents and then giving them to the authorities, that's going to create a lot of tension, a lot of enemies.

But that work of going out there and surveilling these people and then taking those documents and then giving them to the authorities, that's going to create a lot of tension, a lot of enemies.

And then another threat happened where the workers for Univaja were sitting in the town square, and a guy came up and said, if you don't stop this, what happened to your former colleague who had been killed, Bruno's former colleague who had been killed, is going to happen to you. And they told the authorities, and they told the authorities, and nothing was done. So Bruno bought a gun.

And then another threat happened where the workers for Univaja were sitting in the town square, and a guy came up and said, if you don't stop this, what happened to your former colleague who had been killed, Bruno's former colleague who had been killed, is going to happen to you. And they told the authorities, and they told the authorities, and nothing was done. So Bruno bought a gun.

And so he obviously was trying to confuse people on where he was going. And then they headed down the river to do their work, going the opposite direction of what he told the hotel manager.

And so he obviously was trying to confuse people on where he was going. And then they headed down the river to do their work, going the opposite direction of what he told the hotel manager.

So one day, Bruno is heading back up the river, and they hear gunshots coming. And they look up.

So one day, Bruno is heading back up the river, and they hear gunshots coming. And they look up.

His name was Palado. And they see Palado over there holding a gun, looking at them.

His name was Palado. And they see Palado over there holding a gun, looking at them.

They reported authorities, but they didn't do anything about it. So they went back to the city and continued on with their work.

They reported authorities, but they didn't do anything about it. So they went back to the city and continued on with their work.

You know, the funny thing is you're so worried and you're so worried about what's going to happen. And then when we get out there on the rivers, it felt totally calm and placid and beautiful. Oh, it was a beautiful nature. The river was gorgeous. It was so hard to reconcile, you know, the calmness and the beauty of that place with the violence that I know happens frequently.

You know, the funny thing is you're so worried and you're so worried about what's going to happen. And then when we get out there on the rivers, it felt totally calm and placid and beautiful. Oh, it was a beautiful nature. The river was gorgeous. It was so hard to reconcile, you know, the calmness and the beauty of that place with the violence that I know happens frequently.

But people on the rivers wake up at dawn.

But people on the rivers wake up at dawn.

And he started to lose control of the boat, and then it crashed into a riverbank, and they ultimately dragged the bodies into the woods, dismembered them, burned them, and buried them. And then they went back to their river communities and tried to conceal that they had done anything. And that's what happened.

And he started to lose control of the boat, and then it crashed into a riverbank, and they ultimately dragged the bodies into the woods, dismembered them, burned them, and buried them. And then they went back to their river communities and tried to conceal that they had done anything. And that's what happened.

They were caught in large part because of the extraordinary international pressure that came down upon Brazil. Bruno was a well-known government researcher, and more than that, Dom was an international correspondent with a lot of friends who were also international correspondents who started writing a lot of stories about this.

They were caught in large part because of the extraordinary international pressure that came down upon Brazil. Bruno was a well-known government researcher, and more than that, Dom was an international correspondent with a lot of friends who were also international correspondents who started writing a lot of stories about this.

And it brought about a large-scale search and pressure to find out what happened.

And it brought about a large-scale search and pressure to find out what happened.

Pilato, he said, ultimately, they killed Dom because they couldn't leave him behind any witnesses. But the bigger reason was that he wanted to be able to take control of this fishing cabal that was laying waste to the Javari Valley.

Pilato, he said, ultimately, they killed Dom because they couldn't leave him behind any witnesses. But the bigger reason was that he wanted to be able to take control of this fishing cabal that was laying waste to the Javari Valley.

So he thought because these environmental agencies in Brazil become so weak, the only thing that was protecting this area was Bruno's work with this indigenous surveillance crew. So he thought, take away Bruno, you open up the entire area.

So he thought because these environmental agencies in Brazil become so weak, the only thing that was protecting this area was Bruno's work with this indigenous surveillance crew. So he thought, take away Bruno, you open up the entire area.

Palado was a child of settlers who came to the Amazon to tap rubber. And in a lot of ways, the community that he came from were other victims of the Amazon. These people were abandoned by the government, effectively. They were encouraged to go out there, but then just abandoned out there. And a lot of these people, you know, started living off the forest, living off the river.

Palado was a child of settlers who came to the Amazon to tap rubber. And in a lot of ways, the community that he came from were other victims of the Amazon. These people were abandoned by the government, effectively. They were encouraged to go out there, but then just abandoned out there. And a lot of these people, you know, started living off the forest, living off the river.

There was vast violence, prolific violence between these river communities and the indigenous communities. Killings going back and forth, back and forth for years. as his hatred grew.

There was vast violence, prolific violence between these river communities and the indigenous communities. Killings going back and forth, back and forth for years. as his hatred grew.

Police have continued to investigate this. They think that it was not just Pilato who was acting alone. There could have been police involvement. There could have been a person who ordered the hit.

Police have continued to investigate this. They think that it was not just Pilato who was acting alone. There could have been police involvement. There could have been a person who ordered the hit.

And deforestation has plunged by 40% last year, one of the great environmental success stories of the last number of years.

And deforestation has plunged by 40% last year, one of the great environmental success stories of the last number of years.

The forest is still being destroyed every single day. And I've been told even that the killings did nothing to change the fundamental dynamic that's going on in that area. It's still an area of high tension, high illegality, and indigenous people under threat.

The forest is still being destroyed every single day. And I've been told even that the killings did nothing to change the fundamental dynamic that's going on in that area. It's still an area of high tension, high illegality, and indigenous people under threat.

When I saw that Dom had gone missing, I didn't know where he was, what was happening. I did know that region, though. I had reported before in the Javari Valley, and I knew how remote it was. I knew how distant it was. And I know that hours, if not days, can go by without having cell service. And so I thought, you know, I think this could still turn out okay.

When I saw that Dom had gone missing, I didn't know where he was, what was happening. I did know that region, though. I had reported before in the Javari Valley, and I knew how remote it was. I knew how distant it was. And I know that hours, if not days, can go by without having cell service. And so I thought, you know, I think this could still turn out okay.

I called a police source, and I asked him what he thought had happened. And he was like, ah, I think they'll show up in a day or two. You know, this happens. People go, you know, they got maybe a boat thing, a boat malfunction. So I was feeling, okay, I think this could still turn out okay.

I called a police source, and I asked him what he thought had happened. And he was like, ah, I think they'll show up in a day or two. You know, this happens. People go, you know, they got maybe a boat thing, a boat malfunction. So I was feeling, okay, I think this could still turn out okay.

I remember he told me, I don't have any hope anymore. They suffered an attack for sure. He knew it.

I remember he told me, I don't have any hope anymore. They suffered an attack for sure. He knew it.

There's something in Brazil called an indigenista. An indigenista is somebody who dedicates their lives to the indigenous cause. In Brazil, like so much of the Americas, there's a story ultimately of colonization and indigenous people losing out on their territories and rights. And Brazil, this is a very animating political issue. And Bruno, he decided to dedicate his life to this cause.

There's something in Brazil called an indigenista. An indigenista is somebody who dedicates their lives to the indigenous cause. In Brazil, like so much of the Americas, there's a story ultimately of colonization and indigenous people losing out on their territories and rights. And Brazil, this is a very animating political issue. And Bruno, he decided to dedicate his life to this cause.

These indigenous scout teams would go out for a week or two and take photographs, get geographical positions, video record, find out who's ravaging the territory, make a dossier, and give it back to Bruno.

These indigenous scout teams would go out for a week or two and take photographs, get geographical positions, video record, find out who's ravaging the territory, make a dossier, and give it back to Bruno.

So he got in touch with Bruno, and Bruno brought him out to say, like, come on out, I'll show you the work that we're doing.

So he got in touch with Bruno, and Bruno brought him out to say, like, come on out, I'll show you the work that we're doing.

Dom was an idealist, and he threw himself into that research and into that work in the hope that by educating people of what this region was, it could help to preserve it.

Dom was an idealist, and he threw himself into that research and into that work in the hope that by educating people of what this region was, it could help to preserve it.

So he spent months researching different solutions in different areas of the Amazon that he could go visit, understand why the solution is working, what can we learn from it, how can we apply this to other places, and then he was going to come back and write a book about it.

So he spent months researching different solutions in different areas of the Amazon that he could go visit, understand why the solution is working, what can we learn from it, how can we apply this to other places, and then he was going to come back and write a book about it.