Tennessee police rule McNair’s death a homicide

story by AP

written by AP's Teresa M. Walker

photo by AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair’s(notes) shooting death was a homicide, police said Sunday, but authorities stopped short of saying it was a murder-suicide committed by the 20-year-old girlfriend found dead by his side.

McNair, 36, was shot four times, twice in the head, by a semiautomatic pistol, Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said. The woman, Sahel Kazemi, was killed by a single gunshot wound and the pistol was found under her body, Aaron said.

Aaron said the two had been in a “dating relationship for past several months.”

Asked if the deaths could have caused by a lover’s quarrel, Aaron said, “That’s a very important part of the investigation as we work to ultimately classify Miss Kazemi’s death.”

Police said they need to do more interviews with friends of Kazemi and McNair before they rule on whether her death was a suicide, Aaron said.