3 Arrests Made In Missing Family Case
Bank Transactions Begin Same Day Family Disappears, Police Say

POSTED: 3:49 pm CDT May 25, 2010
UPDATED: 6:07 pm CDT May 25, 2010

OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha police said they have arrested three people in connection with the disappearance of an Omaha family.

Vanderlei and Jaqueline Szczepanik, along with their 7-year-old son, Christopher, were last seen on Dec. 17. They were living in and working on a church at 16th and Center streets in south Omaha.

Police said the three people, who did work for the family, have been accused of using the family's accounts. More than $4,000 was used for food and clothing items, police said.

Jose C. Oliveria-Coutinho, 35, Elias Lourenco-Batista, 29, and Valdeir Gonclaves-Santos, 30, have been charged with unlawful use of a financial transaction device over $1,500.

"We are extremely concerned about the family’s well-being due to these circumstances that have evolved during this investigation," said Lt. Darci Tierney in a news release.

Police said the three suspects used the victims' personal and business bank cards to withdraw money from ATMs. The transactions began on the same day the family disappeared, police said.

The three suspects are all illegal immigrants from Brazil, police said. They were arrested on Monday.

Tierney said homicide detectives have been following up on the case and working closely with the Douglas County Attorney's Office.

The investigation presses on, despite the few clues authorities have.

"This one's taking quite a long time and there's no sight of these people," said Police Chief Alex Hayes. "We don't have any indication that they're out using ... bank accounts or traveling or have been seen by friends, family or anything else."

Police last week arrested Ricardo Gonzalez-Mendez on a charge of giving a false name when police questioned him about the family's disappearance.

Gonzalez-Mendez is in the country illegally, police said, but had been hired by the family for construction work.

The suspects face an arraignment at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

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Previous Stories:

* May 20, 2010: Police Arrest Missing Family's Employee
http://www.ketv.com/news/23627015/detail.html

* March 6, 2010: Group Prays For Missing Omaha Family
http://www.ketv.com/news/22764399/detail.html

* February 20, 2010: Missing Woman's Daughter Visits Service
http://www.ketv.com/news/22621516/detail.html

* February 16, 2010: Missing Family's Daughter Arrives In Omaha
http://www.ketv.com/news/22583137/detail.html

* January 31, 2010: Clue Emerges In Missing Family Hunt
http://www.ketv.com/news/22394901/detail.html

* January 31, 2010: Police Stumped As Family Vanishes
http://www.ketv.com/news/22388944/detail.html



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