A Brazilian former army colonel who admitted torturing and killing political prisoners under military rule up to the 1980s has been found dead, BBC News reported.

Paulo Malhaes, 76, was killed by three men who entered his home outside Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, April 24 police say.

Last month, he said he never regretted killing "as many people as necessary" and tortured "many" prisoners.

Almost 500 people disappeared or were killed in Brazil when it was ruled by the army between 1964 and 1985. Thousands more were detained and tortured, including current President Dilma Rousseff.

According to his wife, Col Malhaes was suffocated by three men who broke into their home. Police say the assailants stole computers and some guns.