Adam DePrisco, from Woodbridge, Ontario, was hospitalized early Sunday with severe injuries and died the following day.

DePrisco´s family told The Canadian Press that Mexican authorities failed to properly investigate the death, and has asked Ottawa authorities to investigate.

"We have X-rays that the doctors in Mexico didn´t want us to have," DePrisco´s cousin Luisa Pannozzi said.

"We´re hoping that between the X-rays and (the autopsy in Canada) we´ll have a real reason, or close to the reason (for DePrisco´s) death."

Ramón Huerta, a state prosecutor for tourism in Guerrero, said earlier here that an investigation showed DePrisco had died in a hit-and-run accident.

But an Acapulco city official, who asked that his name not be used because he was concerned it could put him in danger, said Wednesday that witnesses had seen nightclub staff and taxi drivers severely beating DePrisco.

Pannozzi said doctors also told the family his injuries "did not indicate that it was a hit-and-run accident" and that they believe he was beaten.

DePrisco´s traveling companion, Marco Calabro, found that their hotel room had been robbed after he went to visit DePrisco at the hospital, Pannozzi said. The two were in Acapulco for a two-week vacation.

Calabro has told the family that DePrisco had been dancing with a local woman when a bouncer grabbed him and removed him from the club. He believes DePrisco was "set up" and that he noticed a group of young men following DePrisco shortly before he found his friend outside the club, his face beaten so severely he was almost unrecognizable.

DePrisco´s body was expected to be flown back to Canada on Friday.

Last February, Woodbridge residents Domenic and Nancy Ianiero were found dead with their throats slashed in their hotel room in the resort of Cancún. The killings have not been solved and family members have accused Mexican authorities of botching the investigation.