But was a world champion boxer's death suicide or murder?
He was a Montreal kid who grew up to win three world boxing championship titles, millions of dollars in prize money and legions of fans around the world. But Arturo Gatti was also a troubled man. Outside of the ring he loved to party as hard as he fought. In July 2009, Gatti was found dead in a hotel room in Brazil where he was on a second honeymoon with his wife. He was apparently strangled with a bloodied purse strap found near his body.
His wife, Amanda Rodrigues, claims she found him dead on the floor. Brazilian police initially charged her with murder, but freed her less than three weeks later, deeming Gatti's death a suicide. His family maintains he was killed — and now a pair of private investigators they hired say they have the evidence to prove it.
Was it a tragic love story, or a murder mystery? As the fifth estate has discovered, it all depends on whom you believe.
With new evidence and first-hand testimony from Gatti's family, friends, associates and Amanda Rodrigues herself, the fifth estate reveals what's behind the accusations and allegations surrounding the state of Gatti's mind, marriage and financial situation. While the battle over the fighter's $6-million dollar estate heats up in a Montreal courthouse, the fifth estate's Bob McKeown travels to Brazil, New Jersey and Montreal to meticulously reconstruct Arturo Gatti's path to destruction.
"Gatti-vs-Gatti" is a co-production between CBC's the fifth estate and CBS's 48 Hours Mystery.
