Brazil: A Jungle Slaying &

Francisco Mendes Alves Filho knew he was going to be killed. The Amazon environmentalist had already escaped three attempts on his life. The fourth, just before Christmas, proved fatal. When Mendes, 44, stepped from his house in the Brazilian jungle town of Xapuri to take a shower in his backyard, a single shot cut him down. Two police guards assigned to protect him were in the house with Mendes' wife and two of their children.

Mendes had accused two wealthy landowner brothers, Darli and Alvarino Alves da Silva, of plotting to kill him. Last week Darli's son, Darci Alves da Silva Perera, 21, confessed to assassinating Mendes. Police are convinced that Darci is trying to cover up for his father and uncle and have arrested seven other relatives and family friends in connection with the crime.

Mendes' death brought to 93 the number of people killed in land disputes this year in Brazil. Human-rights groups claim that gunmen hired by local landowners are to blame. Many victims, including lawyers, priests and union leaders like Mendes, had been resisting efforts by some landowners to turn large tracts of jungle into profitable grazing land.