Bio

Research into the early life of Jose dos Santos turned up very little. I found no reliable public records giving his date of birth, place of birth, family background, schooling, or childhood details.

The sources that do mention him link his name to the events following the December 1961 Gran Circus Norte-Americano fire in Niterói. Those sources record that Jose dos Santos was sentenced to 14 years in prison and two years in an agricultural colony.

Murder Story

The Gran Circus Norte-Americano performed in Niterói on 15 December 1961. The circus arrived one week before the premiere. The tent had been advertised as nylon but was actually cotton treated with paraffin wax.

A fire occurred in the tent on 17 December 1961 during the flying trapeze act. About 3,000 people were under the big top. One artist saw the fire while waiting on the platform. She waited for her partner to land before they jumped into the net and escaped.

A Boy Scout in the audience used a pocket knife to slit the tent walls to make another exit. The circus was completely devoured by flames in a little over five minutes. All 150 animals were rescued and none had been under the big top at the time, though three elephants broke their chains and escaped.

Of the casualties, 372 died immediately and the total reached 503 as others succumbed to injuries. About 70% of the victims were children. Reports said many children were trampled as people tried to escape.

The fire was claimed to have been caused by arson. Three people were arrested and convicted of starting the fire. The mastermind was named Adilson Marcelino Alves, alias "Dequinha." He had worked at the circus for two days before being fired.

Dequinha, Jose dos Santos, and Walter Rosa dos Santos were identified as setting the fire as retaliation. Dequinha was sentenced to sixteen years in prison and six years of hospitalization in a judicial asylum. He later escaped in 1973 and was found dead with 13 shots; the killer was never identified.

Walter Rosa dos Santos received sixteen years' imprisonment and one year in an agricultural colony. Jose dos Santos was sentenced to fourteen years in prison and two years in an agricultural colony.

Three days of mourning were declared and a state of calamity was declared for the area. President João Goulart inspected the scene and authorized federal aid for the victims. The circus owner hoped to organize benefit performances for the families of the victims.