Two very talented world championship level boxers, Felix Verdejo and Viviane Obenauf, face years in prison for two heinous murders.
Both stand accused of killing their partners in a manner unimaginable to anyone in a loving relationship.
Former Top Rank star Verdejo stands charged with the brutal slaying of pregnant girlfriend Keishla Rodríguez Ortiz.
Reports this week revealed that prosecutors in the case would not seek the death penalty for Verdejo. The worst he can expect is to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
For the family of Keishla, though, their sentence is far greater.
Initially denying any involvement, Verdejo turned himself in to authorities. He subsequently got accused of kidnapping leading to death and carjacking.
The penalty will be long – if Verdejo is convicted.
Federal Department of Justice representatives confirmed their intentions for Verdejo this week.
“The United States of America notifies the court that we will not seek the death penalty in this case against Félix Verdejo Sánchez and Luis Antonio Cádiz Martínez,” said a document attained by Telemundo.
“The Federal Court system also identifies the capital case as ‘closed.'”
Felix Verdejo case
Details of the case against Verdejo are shocking. Allegations that he lured Ms. Ortiz to a car before assaulting her and drugging her sit in the crime statement.
Alongside the fellow-accused Cádiz Martínez, the pair then threw the limp body of Ortiz off a bridge into the water, according to the report. She had no chance of survival.
An autopsy of Ortiz’s body ruled her death as drowning.
Felix Verdejo pleaded not guilty.
Before the incident, Verdejo was one of Bob Arum’s significant stars and had enjoyed a long and successful career.
Viviane Obenauf
Like Verdejo, women’s boxing contender Viviane Obenauf was a world-class operator. Despite not claiming a world title to her name, the Brazilian has a similar back story.
The 35-year-old did fight Katie Taylor earlier in her career. She fought unsuccessfully against Chantelle Cameron, Maiva Hamadouche, and Terri Harper for world titles.
In November 2019, after losing to Harper on points, Obenauf retired from the sport to pursue other avenues.
During this time away, her life took a deadly turn. She now stands accused of murdering her husband in cold blood at their Switzerland home.
‘Thomas’ died from catastrophic injuries due to getting stuck by a baseball bat 19 times. Evidence in the case pointed to police arresting Obenauf for the crime.
Recently, the former fighter applied for bail after more than a year in custody. This motion got denied as Obenauf got described as a flight risk.
There is no extradition treaty between Brazil and her adopted country of Switzerland.
Looking at the facts, Obenauf faces overwhelming and mounted evidence, not only of her presence at the scene but blood on her person.
A car parked outside was Obenauf’s, and her son confirmed to police that the murder weapon was indeed his mother’s.
Clothing belonging to her husband, plus an abandoned and smashed mobile phone, was later recovered by police in a dumpster.
Similar to Verdejo, Obenauf denies any wrongdoing.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010. Follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
