An MMA fighter has been charged with second-degree murder for stabbing a man to death after alleging that he and his spouse were being held hostage at their home in Canada.
Late Monday night, five individuals allegedly forced entry into a residence in Laval, Quebec. Heavyweight MMA fighter Eduardo “Icho” Larenas and his spouse had been renting the house since February and were at home when the group of men arrived.
According to the original report from TVA Nouvelles, the individuals arrived at the house posing as delivery men before taking Larenas and his spouse hostage. The group supposedly intended to steal a “large inheritance” that the MMA fighter had recently received.
Roughly six hours after the situation began, Larenas allegedly took a knife from one of the intruders and proceeded to stab him to death. Larenas and his spouse then managed to escape the remaining members of the group and leave the house.
Charges Filed After Investigation
Laval police arrived at the scene following a call they received around 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Due to the nature of the incident, Quebec Provincial Police were called in to assist with the investigation. A perimeter was set up around the residence in order for investigators to gain a clear picture of what had transpired.
In a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, investigators informed the couple there was a chance that criminal charges could be issued for the fatal stabbing.
Wednesday, authorities concluded that Larenas did not act in self-defense, and he was charged with second-degree murder. His partner, Gladys Rosana Lopez, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
A native of Argentina, “El Dogo” has lived and trained in Canada for the majority of his MMA career. The heavyweight fighter mainly competed for the Canadian-based TKO promotion, but also had one UFC appearance at UFC 58 where he lost to Tom Murphy via strikes in the third round.
Larenas last fought in 2018 and has an overall record of 6-6 in his career. You can watch one of Larenas’ pro bouts below.