POLICE in Brazil have formally charged the alleged mastermind of the murder of Wirral-born journalist Dom Phillips.

Mr Phillips was ambushed and shot dead in the Amazon rainforest, alongside Brazilian indigenous expert, Bruno Pereira, as the men were returning from a field trip to the remote Javari valley in June 2022. 

Mr Phillips, 57, who was originally from Bebington and attended St Anselm's College in Birkenhead, was conducting research for a book entitled How To Save The Amazon. 

He had written for The Guardian, the Washington Post and Mixmag as well as publishing a book on dance music. 

In a statement, police in the Amazon city of Manaus, said: "The Federal Police, over the course of two years of investigation, indicted nine suspects, and the final report duly identified the mastermind behind the double homicide, who provided ammunition for the crime, financially sponsored the activities of the criminal organisation and intervened to coordinate the concealment of the victims' bodies.

"The other suspects played roles in the execution of the homicides and in the concealment of the victims' bodies."

Although police have not named the alleged mastermind, reports in the Brazilian press have identified him as Ruben Dario da Silva Villar, an alleged illegal fishing and poaching boss from the border region where Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira were ambushed and shot.

He is currently in custody for a different offence and denies involvement in the murders. 

It is believed that Mr Pereira was targeted for his activities helping indigenous activists defend their land from illegal fishing and mining gangs and it is thought Mr Phillips was killed for being with him.

The police said that they have now concluded their investigation and that the murders took place as a result of Mr Pereira's "inspection activities in the region". 

"The victim was active in defending environmental preservation and guaranteeing indigenous rights," said the statement.  "The actions of the criminal group generated socio-environmental impacts and caused threats to environmental protection officers and indigenous populations."

The region has seen a long conflict between indigenous tribes and poor fishermen hired to invade the Javari Valley to catch arapaima, turtles and game.

Mr Pereira, who was an official at Brazil’s indigenous affairs bureau, fought against these invasions for years and had previously received multiple threats.

Since the murders, Mr Phillips’ sister, Sian Phillips, has launched a fundraiser in their memory and plans to donate all proceeds to UNIVAJA (the Union of Indigenous Peoples of Vale do Javari) to help protect indigenous communities.