Tragedy struck Brazil’s bodybuilding community this past weekend as champion athlete Valter de Vargas Aita was killed in a violent altercation with his girlfriend. He was 41 years old.
According to authorities, the incident occurred Sunday in Chapecó, a city in the southern state of Santa Catarina. Investigators say Aita and the 43-year-old woman he lived with became embroiled in a heated fight inside their apartment on Sete de Setembro Street. During the altercation, Aita was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen, back, face, and neck.
Attempting to escape, he left a trail of blood through the building, but collapsed on the stairwell, where he was later found dead. Police reported that the woman also sustained serious stab wounds and was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Officials confirmed that if she survives, she will face arrest on suspicion of murder.
Authorities also revealed that the woman had an outstanding arrest warrant for armed robbery and another homicide case, intensifying the gravity of the investigation. The motive behind the fatal dispute has not yet been determined.
Aita was a decorated bodybuilder, earning six state championships throughout his career and most recently finishing as runner-up at the 2024 WFF Vice World Championship. Beyond competition, he worked as a personal trainer at a local gym, which shut its doors Monday in mourning.
Tributes have since poured in on social media, where fans and colleagues remembered Aita not only for his athletic accomplishments but also for the guidance he offered others in the sport. “Thank you for the teachings, master,” one follower wrote on his Instagram page. “May God take care of you up there ❤️.”
Aita’s death has left the bodybuilding community in shock, while police continue their investigation into the deadly incident.