A retired MMA fighter, Diego Braga who set out to recover his stolen motorcycle, fell victim to a case of mistaken identity and was killed by suspected drug traffickers in Brazil.
Braga, 44, with a 16-year professional career and 32 bouts under his belt, was discovered dead on the streets of Morro do Banco in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, as reported by Brazilian news outlet G1.
Braga, the father of Brazilian MMA featherweight fighter Gabriel Braga, had shared surveillance footage of two thieves stealing his red and black motorcycle from his Muzema neighborhood garage on Sunday morning.
“You will always be in my heart and I will continue to honour you until the end, eternal gratitude for everything,” the younger Braga wrote on Instagram, confirming his father’s death. “One day I will hug you again, take care of me as you always did, I love you.”
In his quest to locate the stolen bike, the Brazilian mixed martial artist traversed various areas around Rio de Janeiro, inadvertently drawing the attention of members of the Comando Vermelho crime organization in the Morro do Banco favela.
Believing Braga to be a member of a rival militia, involved mainly in drug and arms trafficking, the gang members took him hostage, Brazilian news outlet G1 added.
On Tuesday, Brazilian military police arrested an 18-year-old, Taua da Silva, who allegedly confessed to his involvement in Braga's killing. Silva claimed that the group searched through Braga's phone and found contacts linked to the rival crime organization Rio das Pedras and Muzema.
"The fighter tried to run, but was caught and killed," said Silva, who goes by the name 2B, according to the outlet. After the murder, the associates fled the favela.
The Capital Homicide Police are leading the investigation into Braga's death and are searching the Morro do Banco favela for his killer.
Braga retired in 2019 with a professional record of 23-8-1 after making his debut in 2003. He faced future UFC fighters such as Charles Oliveira, Milton Vieira, and Adriano Martins during his career.