Brazilian footballer 'fed former lover to his dogs'

Bruno Fernandes is accused of luring the mother of his child to a ranch and killing her (AP)

A Brazilian football star has gone on trial for orchestrating what prosecutors claim is the gruesome murder of the mother of his child.

It is alleged the former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno Fernandes lured Eliza Samudio to a ranch where his accomplices beat and killed her, before feeding her remains to his dogs.

The prosecution has charged that Ms Samudio’s body was never found because the model was dismembered and fed to Mr Fernandes’ Rottweilers.

The grisly details and plot twists have gripped this country of football and soap opera fanatics, with rolling updates on news websites and even small developments making headlines.

Samudio and Fernandes met at a party in Rio de Janeiro in early 2009, and Ms Samudio fell pregnant soon after. The child – named Bruninho – was born in January 2010.

Prior to the birth Ms Samudio had reportedly approached police, alleging that Mr Fernandes had kidnapped her and tried to force her to abort. The defence has claimed that Ms Samudio is alive and well in Eastern Europe. The trial has been delayed until March, after Mr Fernandes changed lawyers.