Dead Ringer

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Ramon Sosa (0:20)

I would have never thought that anyone would want to kill me ever in my life, ever.

Mia Sosa (0:25)

My dad's a sweet guy. I mean, he's very calm. He's full of laughter. He's full of energy. He's like a life of the party.

Ramon Sosa (0:34)

My life was once beautiful, wonderful. I have three wonderful kids.

I was married to a beautiful lady.

Lulu Sosa (0:42)

My name is Lulu Sosa.

Ramon Sosa (0:44)

My business was booming. And I'm Ramon Sosa, head coach of boxing.

Welcome to Wundas Boxing and Fitness.

Raul Marquez (0:53)

Outside the ring, boxers, they're very loving. They want love from their fans, and they want to give it back.

They're the nicest people.

Ramon Sosa (1:04)

I was a very, very low-key kind of guy. That's the furthest thing from my mind that somebody wanted me dead.

Mundo (1:10)

I remember walking in one night as a gym, was in its final hours before it closed. I remember a conversation was taking place about Hitman.

Peter Van Sant (1:22)

What was it about this conversation that caught your attention?

Mundo (1:25)

What caught my attention was whose name came up.

Peter Van Sant (1:28)

Did they mention Ramon?

Mundo (1:29)

Yes. Now, my focus is just on talking to Ramon.

Ramon Sosa (1:34)

Let's say, Mundo, you're joking around. What's going on?

Mundo (1:37)

Ramon was like, don't play with me like that. This is some serious stuff.

Ramon Sosa (1:41)

Then he said, I seen that look on people's eyes before they want to kill somebody.

Mike Atkins (1:46)

It's like a screenplay, something straight out of Hollywood. And it would fit right in with every other horror flick that we've seen in the past. Except this is real. It is real.

Peter Van Sant (1:56)

We're taking you inside the twists and turns of a complex sting operation. And here's what makes it unique. The target of the Murder for Hire plot becomes an undercover operative to catch the person who wants him dead.

So, Lieutenant, where are we heading?

Mike Atkins (2:15)

We are heading to what we refer to as the dig site.

Ramon Sosa (2:19)

This is the actual grave where I was supposed to be dead. They had me lay down with my hands behind my back, my head turned. It was a photographer.

All I could hear was just the clicking of the camera.

Mia Sosa (2:31)

That was somebody's choice. They told someone, this is what I want, this is how I want you to do it, and this is where I want you to put him.

It's horrifying.

Ramon Sosa (2:40)

I saw myself in the grave dead. Literally, I was supposed to be dead.

I'm the only person alive that has ever walked out of his own grave.

Peter Van Sant (3:01)

To this day, Ramon Sosa finds it surreal that he was the target in a Murder for Hire plot.

Ramon Sosa (3:09)

I would have never believed it. I would have thought it was just something that is, you should only see in movies or on TV.

I would have never thought that it would be happening to me.

Peter Van Sant (3:25)

He appeared to have the perfect life. From rubbing shoulders with celebrities like Hugh Hefner, to owning a successful boxing gym in Houston.

And he had found the love of his life, Lulu.

Ramon Sosa (3:43)

Life was very sweet.

Peter Van Sant (3:46)

Beth Blair is a friend of the Sosas.

Beth Blair (3:49)

I saw two fun, outgoing, loved to party, loved to get together with people and have barbecues, and the more people the merrier.

Peter Van Sant (4:02)

Ramon's zest for life started early. He was born with a fighting spirit.

Originally from Carolina, Puerto Rico, Ramon grew up boxing with his father.

Ramon Sosa (4:13)

I fell in love with the sport of boxing. I saw how the training, and there was a few world champions that trained there, and I just loved it from the time I was little.

Peter Van Sant (4:23)

After training for more than 10 years, Ramon took a shot at the pro boxing circuit.

Ramon Sosa (4:30)

They used to call me the Puerto Rican Express. When I turned 17, I turned pro.

Peter Van Sant (4:34)

So did you ever knock anybody out in the ring?

Ramon Sosa (4:36)

Oh yeah, there was a lot of knockouts.

Peter Van Sant (4:39)

Eventually, the Puerto Rican Express ran out of steam. Ramon hung up his boxing gloves and decided to pursue the American dream.