Brown University and MIT Professor Shootings: Suspect Found Dead, Investigation Details

Law enforcement officials have confirmed a tragic connection between two separate shootings in New England: the gunman who opened fire at Brown University on December 13, 2025, also shot and killed an MIT professor two days later. The suspect, 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, was found dead in New Hampshire on Thursday, December 18, bringing a swift end to an intensive, multi-state manhunt. While the immediate threat has been neutralized, the motive behind these attacks remains a profound mystery, leaving a community in mourning and searching for answers.

The Timeline of Violence

The sequence of events began on Saturday, December 13, at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. A gunman entered a classroom building, Barus & Holley, which houses the physics department, and opened fire. The attack resulted in the deaths of two students and left nine others wounded. The campus was plunged into chaos, and a massive investigation was launched to identify the perpetrator.

Just two days later, on Monday, December 15, the violence continued across state lines. Nuno Loureiro, a 47-year-old professor of nuclear science and engineering and the director of MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was gunned down at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was shot multiple times and died the following day. Initially investigated as a separate incident, evidence quickly pointed to a single suspect responsible for both attacks.

Identifying the Suspect: Claudio Manuel Neves Valente

The suspect was identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese national whose last known residence was in Miami, Florida. According to authorities, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Neves Valente had studied at Brown University as a graduate student in physics during the 2000-2001 academic year. He later moved to the United States in 2017 after obtaining a green card through a visa lottery program.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha stated that investigators believe the suspect acted alone. The breakthrough in the case came from a combination of digital forensics and a critical tip from the public. Security footage, along with hotel, rental car, and storage unit records, helped trace the suspect's movements. A pivotal moment occurred when a tipster, referred to as "John" in police affidavits, posted on Reddit suggesting police look into a gray Nissan rental car seen near Brown University. This tip, as Neronha said, "blew this case right open."

Investigative Breakthrough and Final Hours

U.S. Attorney Leah Foley provided a detailed timeline. Neves Valente had rented a gray Nissan Sentra with Florida plates from an Alamo Rent-a-Car in Boston on December 1. He then drove to the vicinity of Brown University, where his car was observed intermittently over the next 12 days leading up to the shooting. After the Brown attack, he returned to Massachusetts.

Security footage placed him within a half-mile of Professor Loureiro's Brookline apartment around the time of the murder. Approximately an hour after that shooting, he was seen entering a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire. It was in this rented storage unit that authorities found Neves Valente's body on Thursday night. He was dressed in the same clothes seen in footage from after Loureiro's murder. An autopsy released Friday indicated he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, estimated to have occurred on Tuesday, December 16—two days before he was found. A satchel and two firearms were recovered with him.

Connections to the Victims

The suspect's connections to both crime scenes are chillingly specific. At Brown University, he was not only a former student but his graduate physics classes were held in the very Barus & Holley building where the shooting took place. Brown President Christina Paxson confirmed he was admitted to a PhD physics program but took a leave of absence in April 2001 before formally withdrawing in 2003.

The connection to MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro is even more direct. Both men were from Portugal and were close in age. The Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal confirmed that Neves Valente and Loureiro had both been students in the same Engineering Physics program at the Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion between 1995 and 2000. U.S. Attorney Foley stated, "My understanding is that they did know each other." Loureiro had gone on to achieve prominence in fusion energy research, while Neves Valente's path diverged.

Unanswered Questions and Case Closure

While the suspect's death brings the active manhunt to a close, it leaves a gaping hole in understanding. Authorities have stated they are "100% confident" Neves Valente was the sole perpetrator and that the case is closed from an investigative standpoint. However, the motive remains entirely unclear. Attorney General Neronha expressed the lingering mystery: "I don't think we have any idea why now, or why — why Brown? Why these students? Why this classroom? That is really unknown to us. It may become clear, I hope that it does, but it hasn't as of right now."

The tragic events have devastated two academic communities and left families grieving. The investigation highlighted the crucial role of public vigilance, as the Reddit tip proved instrumental, and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation across state lines. As the legal proceedings conclude with the suspect's death, the focus now shifts to supporting the victims' families, the wounded students, and the broader university communities as they begin the long process of healing and seeking solace in the wake of inexplicable violence.