RIO DE JANEIRO — A man arrested on suspicion of murder told police he killed 42 people over the past decade, potentially making him one of the Brazil's most prolific serial killers.

Sailson Jose das Graças, 26, told reporters at a police station in the state of Rio that he killed for pleasure and the accompanying adrenaline rush. He said his preferred victims were white females, whom he strangled. "I would wait for an opportunity to break into the house and kill," Das Graças told reporters, adding he would often watch his victims for months before making his move. "When I didn't do it I would get nervous, then I would go hunting" for other victims, he added. Das Graças also claimed to have operated as a killer for hire.

Experts said Das Graças was likely a psychopath who enjoyed the media spotlight and warned that what he said should be carefully checked. But police said they were convinced by his account and were cross referencing his confessions with past crime reports. Four crimes had already successfully been matched, they said.

- Reuters