MONTENEGRO, BRAZIL – A prominent Brazilian fitness trainer has been found dead, her body discarded within sight of her parents’ home. Débora “Debby” Michels was discovered wrapped in a red cloth on Friday, dumped on a sidewalk only a few yards from her parents’ residence in Montenegro, according to local reports.
Michels, who was beloved in her community for her radiant energy and ceaseless love for fitness, allegedly fell victim to her husband’s brutality. Alex Michels, the trainer’s brother, expressed his sister’s influence within their community stating, “Débora was a person very loved by everyone here in the community. Friends, family, everyone loved her.”
Alexander Gunsch, Michels’ husband of 11 years, admitted to killing his wife to local authorities after he turned himself in, as reported by local outlets. He confessed that during an argument, he physically assaulted his wife, choking her and throwing her against a wardrobe. These actions led to her falling unwell and passing away in the car as he was supposedly on the way to a hospital. Consumed by panic, Gunsch discarded his wife’s body outside her parents’ home. Local authorities have since charged Gunsch with homicide.
While contacting authorities is crucial in such abusive situations, it was tragically too late for Michels. Her family has revealed that, while battling her own struggles in silence, she was in the process of separating from Gunsch. She was even scheduled to move into her own apartment the day following her death.
The heartrending news of Michels’ demise brought an abrupt halt to her thriving career. Celebrated for her fitness enthusiasm, she was a personal trainer since 2011 and actively promoted fitness tips and gym routines on her social media. She was a successful participant in bodybuilding competitions, an employee at a gym in Montenegro, and a holder of a degree in physical education from a prestigious university.
Her family now seeking justice, Michels’ story underlines the increasingly urgent need to provide effective recourse for victims of domestic violence.