CaliToday (20/12/2025): The multistate manhunt for the gunman accused of a deadly rampage at Brown University and the targeted killing of an MIT professor came to a definitive end on Friday, as officials revealed a startling timeline: the suspect had been dead for approximately two days before law enforcement located his body.
In the wake of the violence, President Donald Trump has moved swiftly to suspend the Diversity Visa Lottery program, the immigration pathway used by the suspect to enter the United States, citing immediate national security concerns.
Forensic Timeline: The End of the Manhunt
New Hampshire Department of Justice officials confirmed on Friday that Claudio Neves Valente, 48, took his own life on Tuesday the same day his second alleged victim, MIT Professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, succumbed to gunshot wounds in a hospital.
Valente’s body was discovered late Thursday evening in a self-storage facility in New Hampshire, ending a tense, week-long search that had put New England university campuses on high alert. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"The autopsy results indicate that while the manhunt was intensifying across the region on Wednesday and Thursday, the suspect was likely already deceased," a law enforcement source noted.
A Trail of Violence
Authorities have now pieced together a chilling itinerary of the suspect's movements:
Saturday: Valente allegedly entered a quiet study hall at Brown University, opening fire on students preparing for finals. Ella Cook, 19, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, were killed. Nine others were injured; as of Thursday, six remained hospitalized in stable condition.
Monday Evening: Valente is believed to have driven to the Boston suburbs, where he fatally shot Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a renowned physics professor at MIT, at his private residence.
Tuesday: Both Valente and Professor Loureiro died (Valente by suicide, Loureiro from his injuries).
Investigators are currently probing the connection between Valente and Loureiro. Both men were Portuguese nationals, yet the specific motive remains elusive. Police noted that Valente had not been a student at Brown for over two decades and had no known current affiliation with the university, making the attack appear tragically arbitrary.
Political Fallout: Trump Freezes "Green Card Lottery"
The repercussions of the tragedy have reached the White House. Following the confirmation of Valente’s identity, President Trump issued an executive order suspending the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (commonly known as the Green Card Lottery).
Valente, a Portuguese citizen, had legally resided in the U.S. through this specific program.
"We cannot allow a system to continue that operates on random chance rather than merit and security," the administration stated, framing the suspension as a necessary step to protect American citizens. This move aligns with the administration's broader agenda of tightening immigration enforcement and reviewing vetting procedures for foreign nationals.
Investigation Continues
While the threat has neutralized, the investigation is far from over. Authorities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are working to answer critical outstanding questions:
Motive: Why target Brown University 20 years after leaving? Was the killing of Professor Loureiro a personal vendetta or a crime of opportunity?
Logistics: Police credited a key witness for providing crucial details that helped track Valente’s vehicle to the storage facility, but they are still mapping his exact route between the two crime scenes.
Accomplices: Current evidence suggests Valente acted alone, but forensic analysis of his digital footprint is ongoing.
The tragedy has reignited fierce debates regarding campus safety protocols and immigration reform, leaving the communities of Providence and Cambridge in mourning.