Ex-UFC Fighter Godofredo ‘Pepey’ Castro Dies in Florida Custody at 38

Overview

• Castro was found dead on November 9 in the Florida prison where he was held, and authorities have not released a cause of death.
• U.S. officials notified his family of the death, and formal updates are expected from authorities, according to the attorney for his wife, Samara Mello.
• Mello is the authorized representative for the release and repatriation of the body and is handling the required legal steps.
• He had been detained since June 30 on charges including kidnapping with bodily injury, victim intimidation, domestic assault by strangulation, obstruction of communication and domestic violence, with bail set at $120,000 and possible deportation to Brazil.
• A finalist on TUF Brasil in 2012 who fought 11 times in the UFC, Castro’s case drew new controversy as Mello’s lawyer alleged pressure from businesswoman Rose Gracie to authorize study of his brain, releasing purported audio and urging restraint from speculation.