Brazilian penpal kills American suitor

[White Shogun]

Raymond Merrill bought a $5,000 engagement ring for Regina Filomena Rachid and declared in e-mails, "I have more kisses for you than there are stars in the sky."

Rachid's photos adorned his computer desktop and the walls in the San Bruno home he was fixing up. He had a stack of the Brazilian woman's glamour shots -- one with her topless, her jeans seductively unzipped partway. Wedding plans were discussed, messages on his computer show.

Merrill, a 56-year-old divorced carpenter and musician, thought he had found love online.

Instead, authorities believe Rachid lured Merrill to Brazil and masterminded a plot in which he was drugged for about six days until he disclosed his bank account information, then was strangled and his body set on fire, according to Merrill's sister, a friend and Brazilian news accounts.

The wonderful Ms. Rachid:

Full article

 

[Bart]

Merrill, a 56-year-old divorced carpenter and musician, thought he had found love online.

Anothertrusting white man finds out the hard way:


"My brother was very gullible when he liked someone," she said. "He kind of had this blind faith in people."


Merrill was a construction worker, an affable guy who did well for himself selling a few houses and making good investments, but he was lonely, said longtime friend Bill Rauch of San Francisco.


"He never had any trouble meeting women," said Rauch, 54. "But he was looking for one special woman where this immaculate love would blossom. It's almost unrealistic."


Merrill brushed aside warning signs, including Rachid's disappointment that he bought her a $20,000 SUV rather than a $50,000 one, and an incident when Rachid swore at him and denounced "stupid Americans," Rauch said.