CK Sooner
7/8/2009, 03:39 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530800,00.html
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Police confirmed Wednesday that ex-NFL star Steve McNair's 20-year-old girlfriend killed him before turning the gun on herself.
They said they may never know what was going through Sahel Kazemi's mind when she shot McNair in his condominium early Saturday, but interviews with friends led detectives to conclude she was becoming increasingly distraught over events in her life, including financial problems. Police said she also suspected McNair was seeing another woman.
Police earlier had labeled McNair's death a homicide, but awaited further tests and investigation before saying for sure what happened.
At one point, Kazemi told an associate that her "personal life was all screwed up," Police Chief Ronal Serpas said. She had mounting debts and had been unable to sell her car. Her roommate was moving, which would have doubled her rent.
"We do know that she was clearly sending a message during the last five to seven days of her life that things were going bad quickly," Serpas said, though there was no indication she told anyone she planned to harm McNair.
Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep on a sofa when Kazemi shot him in the head. She then apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him again in the head and then shooting herself.
McNair, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, was shot at a condo he rented with another man. The gun was found underneath Kazemi.
Kazemi's family told reporters that the woman was so confident McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years that she was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with him.
But associate Mike Mu, who has worked with McNair's charitable association for years, said McNair's wife, Mechelle McNair, "didn't know who this girl is." No records of divorce proceedings have surfaced.
Mechelle McNair, who has not spoken publicly since the shooting, has been described by people close to her as being very upset and distraught. Agent Bus Cook said McNair's wife was "in and out" of it in the hours after the shooting.
Two days before the shooting, police stopped Kazemi driving the Escalade sport utility vehicle that McNair gave her for her birthday in May.
According to an arrest affidavit, Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on her breath. She refused a breath test and told an officer "she was not drunk, she was high." She was charged with DUI. McNair was with her but not charged. He later made her bail.
Mu is handling media inquiries for Thursday night's memorial service in Nashville. A funeral service will be held Saturday in Mississippi.
The close friend who reported McNair's death to 911 defended his friend since their days playing football at Alcorn State to The Tennessean. Robert Gaddy, who did not immediately return a text message to his cell phone from The Associated Press on Wednesday, said the the McNairs' Nashville home was on the market because they were looking for a new house.
"People need to quit talking about what they don't know. Mac never said anything to me about he was going to get a divorce, and ever since this has all happened everybody is trying to paint a certain picture and they need to talk about what they know," Gaddy told newspaper.
The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback was being remembered Wednesday at the stadium where he played much of his career. The Tennessee Titans opened LP Field for fans to watch video highlights of McNair's 13-year NFL career, look at photos of the quarterback and had a book for them to write messages that will be given to the family.
The McNairs married in 1997, and Mechelle is the mother of two of his four sons. She met McNair while both were students at Alcorn State, though she also studied nursing in Nashville and became a nurse while he played for the Titans.
Mechelle McNair tended his numerous injuries at home, changing bandages and even helping with intravenous fluids in 2001 when her husband needed I.V. antibiotics for an infection that developed after shoulder surgery.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Police confirmed Wednesday that ex-NFL star Steve McNair's 20-year-old girlfriend killed him before turning the gun on herself.
They said they may never know what was going through Sahel Kazemi's mind when she shot McNair in his condominium early Saturday, but interviews with friends led detectives to conclude she was becoming increasingly distraught over events in her life, including financial problems. Police said she also suspected McNair was seeing another woman.
Police earlier had labeled McNair's death a homicide, but awaited further tests and investigation before saying for sure what happened.
At one point, Kazemi told an associate that her "personal life was all screwed up," Police Chief Ronal Serpas said. She had mounting debts and had been unable to sell her car. Her roommate was moving, which would have doubled her rent.
"We do know that she was clearly sending a message during the last five to seven days of her life that things were going bad quickly," Serpas said, though there was no indication she told anyone she planned to harm McNair.
Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep on a sofa when Kazemi shot him in the head. She then apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him again in the head and then shooting herself.
McNair, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, was shot at a condo he rented with another man. The gun was found underneath Kazemi.
Kazemi's family told reporters that the woman was so confident McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years that she was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with him.
But associate Mike Mu, who has worked with McNair's charitable association for years, said McNair's wife, Mechelle McNair, "didn't know who this girl is." No records of divorce proceedings have surfaced.
Mechelle McNair, who has not spoken publicly since the shooting, has been described by people close to her as being very upset and distraught. Agent Bus Cook said McNair's wife was "in and out" of it in the hours after the shooting.
Two days before the shooting, police stopped Kazemi driving the Escalade sport utility vehicle that McNair gave her for her birthday in May.
According to an arrest affidavit, Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on her breath. She refused a breath test and told an officer "she was not drunk, she was high." She was charged with DUI. McNair was with her but not charged. He later made her bail.
Mu is handling media inquiries for Thursday night's memorial service in Nashville. A funeral service will be held Saturday in Mississippi.
The close friend who reported McNair's death to 911 defended his friend since their days playing football at Alcorn State to The Tennessean. Robert Gaddy, who did not immediately return a text message to his cell phone from The Associated Press on Wednesday, said the the McNairs' Nashville home was on the market because they were looking for a new house.
"People need to quit talking about what they don't know. Mac never said anything to me about he was going to get a divorce, and ever since this has all happened everybody is trying to paint a certain picture and they need to talk about what they know," Gaddy told newspaper.
The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback was being remembered Wednesday at the stadium where he played much of his career. The Tennessee Titans opened LP Field for fans to watch video highlights of McNair's 13-year NFL career, look at photos of the quarterback and had a book for them to write messages that will be given to the family.
The McNairs married in 1997, and Mechelle is the mother of two of his four sons. She met McNair while both were students at Alcorn State, though she also studied nursing in Nashville and became a nurse while he played for the Titans.
Mechelle McNair tended his numerous injuries at home, changing bandages and even helping with intravenous fluids in 2001 when her husband needed I.V. antibiotics for an infection that developed after shoulder surgery.