Phil
Baroni, a veteran of 35 mixed martial arts bouts, has been
charged with aggravated femicide in connection with the death of
his girlfriend in Mexico on Jan. 1.
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The 46-year-old Baroni, who was
arrested last week, was charged by a state judge in Mexico on
Monday, according to
ESPN.
According to a release from the general prosecutor of the State of
Nayarit Office, Baroni assaulted the woman and caused “at least 37
injuries” that resulted in her death. Baroni contacted police on
Jan. 1 after finding his girlfriend unresponsive. When speaking to
authorities, the former fighter claimed that the woman hit her head
when he shoved her into the shower during an argument.
Baroni could face 30 to 50 years in prison if he is convicted, per
Nayarit penal code. The man known as “The New York Badass” was
advised by a public defendant and will be held at Venustiano
Carranza State Jail until the trial begins sometime in the next six
months. Baroni had reportedly been living in a coastal region of
Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico, at the time of the alleged
crime.
Baroni went 16-19 over the course of professional MMA career that
saw him compete for organizations such as the UFC, Bellator,
Strikeforce, Pride and One Championship. More recently, he won a
boxing match in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in December 2021.