Phil Baroni Still Behind Bars in Mexico as Murder Case Remains Unresolved
Former UFC fighter Phil Baroni remains incarcerated in Mexico nearly four years after being arrested in connection with the death of his girlfriend, but there is no indication that he has been convicted of murder or aggravated femicide.
Baroni, a veteran of the UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, Bellator and other major MMA promotions, was arrested in January 2023 in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, following the death of his girlfriend, Paola, at a residence in the coastal community of San Francisco, commonly known as San Pancho. Mexican authorities subsequently accused him of aggravated femicide, the Mexican legal classification used in the case.
Has Phil Baroni been convicted?
No. There is no credible evidence that Baroni has been convicted or sentenced for the killing.
A judge ordered Baroni to stand trial after prosecutors presented evidence alleging that he had physically assaulted the woman. Authorities said the investigation uncovered at least 37 injuries to the victim. Baroni’s initial account to police was that she suffered a fatal injury after he threw her into a shower, but prosecutors disputed that explanation and presented evidence of injuries throughout her body.
Importantly, being formally charged and ordered to face a criminal process is not the same as being convicted. Mexican authorities have continued to treat Baroni as an accused defendant, and publicly available information does not show a final guilty verdict.
The lack of a conviction is particularly significant because some reports published shortly after his arrest suggested he could receive decades in prison if found guilty. Initial estimates put the potential sentence for aggravated femicide at between 30 and 50 years, while prosecutors later indicated that the circumstances of the alleged crime could potentially increase the punishment to 50–75 years.
Where is Baroni being held?
Baroni was initially transferred to the CERESO Venustiano Carranza State Jail in Tepic, the capital of Nayarit. ESPN reported in January 2023 that he would remain there while awaiting trial.
A January 2024 report from Tribuna de la Bahía stated that Baroni remained incarcerated at the CERESO Venustiano Carranza in Tepic, even after the initial six-month period that had been granted for supplemental investigation had elapsed. At that time, the publication reported that prosecutors had not announced a sentence or provided additional details about the status of the case.
There have been reports that Baroni could potentially be transferred to another Mexican federal facility, but I found no reliable recent source confirming that he was moved from Venustiano Carranza. Consequently, the safest characterization based on the available record is that he has been held at the CERESO Venustiano Carranza prison in Tepic.
A legal case that has continued for years
The case has largely disappeared from the international MMA news cycle, but Mexican legal records indicate that Baroni’s legal proceedings have continued.
Most notably, a Mexican court record shows an amparo proceeding involving Philip/Phil Baroni in Nayarit during 2025–2026. The case, identified as Exp. 769/2025, had activity as recently as April 9, 2026. The existence of that proceeding is further evidence that Baroni’s legal situation has not simply concluded with a murder conviction and prison sentence.
The lengthy period without a publicly reported verdict makes Baroni’s case unusual. He was arrested in January 2023 and has now spent several years in Mexican custody while the legal process continues.
What happened in 2023?
Baroni contacted authorities after finding his girlfriend unresponsive. According to reports of his initial statement, he told police that an argument had occurred and that he had thrown her into the shower, after which she suffered a head injury. Authorities subsequently investigated the circumstances and alleged that she had suffered numerous injuries.
Prosecutors ultimately pursued the case as aggravated femicide rather than treating the death simply as an accidental fatal injury.
In January 2023, a judge formally linked Baroni to the criminal process and ordered him held in preventive custody while the investigation proceeded.
Baroni’s MMA career
Before his arrest, Baroni had been a recognizable figure in MMA for more than two decades. Known by the nickname “The New York Bad Ass,” he competed for organizations including the UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, Bellator and ONE Championship.
He retired from MMA after a career that included 15 professional victories and 18 defeats. His final combat-sports appearance came in a boxing match in Mexico in December 2021.
Today, however, Baroni’s legacy in combat sports is overshadowed by the unresolved criminal case.
The bottom line
Phil Baroni has been accused of killing his girlfriend and was formally charged with aggravated femicide in Mexico. He has not, based on the latest credible information available, been convicted of murder or femicide.
Baroni was being held at CERESO Venustiano Carranza State Jail in Tepic, Nayarit, and Mexican court records show that legal proceedings involving him continued into 2026.
Because there has been no confirmed conviction or sentencing, reports describing Baroni as a convicted murderer would be inaccurate. The appropriate description remains that he is an accused defendant awaiting resolution of the Mexican criminal case.
