On January 5th 1971 former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston was found dead at his Las Vegas home Liston's death labelled an overdose has long hung over Las Vegas & the boxing world leaving unanswered questions about his ties to mob kingpins drug lords billionaire hoteliers & powerful promoters Against the backdrop of the pivotal era in the history of Las Vegas when the mob turned a sleep desert oasis into a gambling paradise The Murder of Sonny Liston is both a riveting murder hunt & a stunning portrait of a city that was home to the Rat Pack race riots & glittering high-rises along the strip