Luciano Leitão Pedrosa

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Luciano Leitão Pedrosa (August 24, 1965 – April 9, 2011) was a Brazilian TV presenter and radio journalist known for reporting on crime and politics. He worked for TV Vitória and Metropolitana FM, and hosted the crime-focused show Ação e Cidadania (Action and Citizenship) for seven years.

Pedrosa had received threats before his death. On the evening of April 9, 2011, he was shot in the head at a restaurant in Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, and died at age 45. A motorcycle rider was involved in the attack, and police later linked the murder to threats he had received. Authorities arrested two brothers and another man connected to the case, though one suspect had died earlier in the investigation.

The murder drew international attention. UNESCO’s director-general condemned the killing, saying journalists must be free to work without fear and that their reporting is vital to democracy.

Pedrosa was buried at the St. Sebastian Cemetery in Vitória de Santo Antão. In Brazil, he was one of several journalists killed in the 1990s and 2000s while doing public affairs reporting, a pattern documented by the Committee to Protect Journalists.