A former UFC fighter has tragically passed away at the age of 38 inside a Florida correctional facility, with officials confirming an active investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Brazilian mixed martial artist Godofredo Pepey, whose real name was Godofredo Castro de Oliveira, had been in custody since June following allegations of domestic abuse involving his wife, Samara Mello.
Source: Getty Images
Court documents show he was facing multiple charges, including kidnapping, battery, and witness tampering.
Authorities from the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed the incident to the Daily Mail, stating that staff responded immediately when the fighter was found unresponsive in his cell.
Emergency measures were taken until medical help arrived, but he could not be revived. Investigators have ruled out foul play, with the official cause of death pending a full report from the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office.
In a statement shared by Mello’s attorney and cited by the Daily Star, the family urged for privacy and restraint:
“The passing of anyone in custody is a serious matter. There are established procedures that must be followed by the authorities, and updates will be shared through official channels. Until then, we ask for respect for Samara and the family, and to avoid speculation or harmful comments.”
The heartbreaking news was also shared by former UFC fighter Rony Bezerra, who was a close friend of Pepey after the two appeared together on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.
Bezerra wrote on Instagram:
“I bring very sad news. Unfortunately, we lost our brother, Godofredo Pepey. He was a great person, a loyal friend, and an incredible fighter. May God bless him wherever he is.”
Pepey’s death comes months after his arrest for alleged domestic assault, which left his wife injured. Following the incident, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to support Mello’s recovery.
In her message on the page, she described her experience as a survivor and called for greater awareness of domestic violence in sports, urging authorities and fans alike to take such cases seriously.
In the description of the GoFundMe page, Mello said:
‘My name is Samara Mello, I’m the wife of Godofredo Pepey, and I’m also a domestic violence survivor.
‘Domestic violence is real in the sports world, and it’s still a taboo that few have the courage to mention in the combat sports community. We can’t pretend it doesn’t exist.
‘Today, I am rebuilding my life and I am immensely grateful to have survived so that now I can make a difference in the lives of other women.
‘When violence happens inside the home, it doesn’t just destroy one family — it impacts the entire community. We need to stop treating this like it’s a secret.
‘I hope the authorities in Brazil and around the world understand that the blood on my face and body is on the hands of those who still see femicide as just a statistic — and do far too little to change that’.
Pepey was born in Fortaleza, Brazil in 2003 and went on to compete 11 times in the UFC from between 2012-2018.
During his time in the organization, he fought some of the biggest names in the featherweight division; including Andre Fili, Shane Burgos and Mirsad Bektic.
Pepey was released from the organization in 2018 and, since then, had three more fights, the last one in 2022. His professional MMA record is 14 wins and seven losses.
DailyMail.com has also approached Pepey’s attorney for comment.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
