How Portugal cut murders by 80% using AI and forensic breakthroughs
Portugal's approach to solving violent crime has evolved dramatically over the past four decades. In the 1980s and 1990s, nearly 400 homicides occurred each year, with limited forensic tools to crack cases. Today, advanced DNA analysis, digital forensics, and AI have pushed clearance rates above 70%, transforming investigations from slow, uncertain processes into precise, data-driven operations.
Behind these shifts are figures like Carlos Ademar Fonseca, a veteran homicide inspector, and Pedro Badoni, a specialist in crime scene cleanup. Their perspectives reveal how both policing and the aftermath of violent crime have evolved in modern Portugal.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Portugal faced a grim reality: around 400 murders annually. Carlos Ademar Fonseca, who spent nearly 20 years as a homicide inspector with the Polícia Judiciária, remembers the challenges of that era. Cases like the infamous Lisbon Ripper and the 1986 Palmela murders often went unsolved, with investigators relying on basic autopsies and fingerprints. Clearance rates hovered between 40% and 50%, leaving many families without answers.
By the 2000s, forensic science began to advance. The 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann became a turning point when DNA breakthroughs in 2020 provided new leads. Similarly, the 2018 Monção murder was solved in 2023 using genetic genealogy—a method unthinkable in earlier decades. These tools, alongside digital forensics and AI, now help close over 70% of murder cases, a stark improvement from past decades.
Yet crime scenes still demand more than just police work. Pedro Badoni, founder of Deathclean, specialises in cleaning up after violent deaths. His team often removes floorboards, carpets, and biohazards like blood, bone fragments, or brain matter—tasks left behind once authorities finish their work. As the sole European representative on the American Bio Recovery Association's board, he highlights a lesser-known side of crime: the emotional and physical toll on families who must restore their homes after tragedy.
The criminal underworld has also adapted. Gangs and offenders now use different weapons and tactics, forcing investigators to stay ahead with ever-improving technology. The latest Internal Security Report (RASI) recorded just 89 homicides in 2024—a fraction of past numbers—but the complexity of cases remains a challenge.
From nearly 400 annual murders in the 1990s to 89 in 2024, Portugal's homicide rate has dropped sharply. Clearance rates have climbed thanks to DNA analysis, genetic genealogy, and AI tools that once seemed like science fiction. Experts like Fonseca and Badoni represent two sides of this change: one tracking killers with cutting-edge science, the other helping families reclaim their lives after the police leave.
The shift reflects broader progress in forensic methods, from slow, uncertain investigations to rapid identifications and convictions. Yet as criminals grow more sophisticated, the demand for innovation—and for those who handle crime's grim aftermath—remains as vital as ever.
