Godofredo Pepey Castro found dead in prison
Former UFC featherweight fighter Godofredo “Pepey” Castro has been found dead in a Florida prison at the age of 38. The incident occurred while he was in custody at the Broward Sheriff’s Office main jail in Fort Lauderdale, where he had been detained since late June on a series of domestic violence-related charges that included kidnapping, strangulation, battery and witness tampering.
According to reports, prison staff discovered Castro unresponsive in his cell during a routine check. Authorities found a sheet around his neck and he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Law enforcement officials say foul play is not suspected, though the official cause of death remains pending. Castro’s arrest stemmed from an alleged violent assault on his wife in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where a police report described him dragging her by the hair into a residence, choking her until she lost consciousness multiple times, and later throwing her to the ground and violently striking her head. Visible injuries were documented by responding officers.
Castro rose to prominence as a Brazilian martial artist who competed on Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil and went on to fight 11 times in the UFC, posting a UFC record of 5-6 and an overall professional record of 13-7. His last world-level fight took place in February 2022. The struggle of elite fighters with mental health and post-career challenges was highlighted by Castro’s former teammate Rony Mariano Bezerra, who noted that although fighters may be physically strong, emotional and psychological pressure can be overwhelming.
At the time of his death, Castro remained in custody with his case pending. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges he was facing. The shock of his passing has reverberated across the MMA community and is prompting renewed attention to the intersection of domestic violence, incarceration, and mental-wellbeing in combat sports.
