Authorities: Homeless Man's Reddit Clues Cracked the Brown University Shooting Case

A homeless man, known only as John, has been credited with providing crucial information that led to the identification of the suspect in the Brown University shooting with information he originally posted to Reddit. Federal officials say he is now entitled to the $50,000 reward.

The New York Post reports that a homeless hero has been instrumental in solving the tragic shootings at Brown University and MIT. The man, known only as “John,” provided key information to investigators after initially posting his observations on Reddit, including clues that ultimately led to the identification of the suspect, 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente. Federal officials have now declared that John is entitled to the $50,000 reward offered in the case.

Authorities confirmed that John’s information originally posted to Reddit was the clue that cracked the case wide open during a Thursday press conference (at the 58:00 minute mark in the video):

The shootings, which occurred just two days apart, left the nation in shock. Two students at Brown University were killed, and an MIT professor was gunned down shortly after. Investigators were initially scrambling to identify the perpetrator, but John’s tip proved to be the breakthrough they needed.

John’s encounter with the suspect on the day of the Brown University shooting was crucial. He recognized images of the suspect that had been released by authorities and took to Reddit to share his knowledge. “I’m being dead serious,” he wrote. “The police need to look into a grey Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental.” John went on to describe an odd interaction he had with the suspect, noting that the man had used his key fob to open the car but then backed away, relocking it before circling the block.

This information was a game-changer for investigators, as they previously had no details about a vehicle connected to the shooter. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha praised John’s contribution, stating, “He blew this case right open.”

John, whose image was initially released by police as someone they wanted to speak to, sat down with investigators and provided a detailed account of his “cat and mouse” interaction with the gunman. He had encountered Neves Valente in the bathroom of Brown’s engineering building just hours before the attack, noting that the suspect’s clothing was “inappropriate and inadequate for the weather.” John, who had been living in the basement of the building at the time, later followed the suspect and even called out to him about his car’s location.

Using John’s information, authorities were able to access additional surveillance footage that ultimately led them to the gunman. Nearly 24 hours later, Neves Valente was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a storage facility.

Ted Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI, confirmed that John should be eligible for the hefty reward, stating, “It would be logical to think that, absolutely, that individual would be entitled to that.”