Former UFC featherweight Godofredo “Pepey” Castro has reportedly been found dead in a Florida prison cell, with authorities treating the death as an apparent suicide.
Pepey, a 38-year-old Brazilian MMA fighter who fought 11 times in the UFC, was discovered unresponsive in his cell over the weekend.
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Emergency services rushed to the scene, but Pepey was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
A spokesperson for the Broward Sheriff’s Office said the fighter was found with a sheet tied around his neck, according to MMA Junkie.
Pepey had been in custody since June 2025 following his arrest on several charges, including kidnapping and domestic violence.
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Legal proceedings were still ongoing at the time of his death, and Pepey had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to the Daily Star, the lawyer of Samara Mello, Pepey’s wife, released a statement that read: “The death of someone in custody is a serious matter.
“There are procedures that must be followed by the American authorities, and any and all news will be released by those authorities.
“Until then, I ask for respect for the family, his wife Samara, and that you avoid malicious comments and speculation, so as not to cause further suffering.”
The tragedy has sparked reflection within the MMA community, with fellow Brazilian fighter Rony Bezerra taking to social media to post about his late friend.
“I’m here to bring some terrible news. Unfortunately, we lost our partner, Godfredo Pepey,’ he posted, before going on to speculate about the cause of death.
He later added: “Very sad to lose this great partner, an unparalleled guy. A partner, a friend, a brother. Wherever you are, may God bless you. I love you brother”.
After rising to fame on TUF Brazil in 2012, Pepey went on to fight 11 times in the UFC, picking up five wins and three performance bonuses.
Pepey was released by the UFC in 2018 following a defeat to Mirsad Bektic.
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He would go on to fight three more times on the regional scene before his final fight in February 2022.
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