Exclusive Phone Records: Steve McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi and Gun Seller Were In Constant Contact
NEW YORK (CBS) Sahel Kazemi, a sexy young waitress, shot her boyfriend, NFL star Steve McNair, four times, killing him, and then turned the gun on herself, Nashville police say.
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi
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STORY: Steve McNair Death Probe Questioned
But is that the full story? How exactly did a waitress, who had never owned a firearm, suddenly wind up with a loaded, black-market 9mm pistol just one day before the killing and what was her real relationship with the man alleged to have sold her the gun?
A two-part, three-month investigation by the CBS Investigative Unit has uncovered several flaws in the initial police investigation into 20-year-old Kazemi and the pistol that was used to kill her and the former Tennessee Titans quarterback on Saturday, July 4, 2009.
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Other Lover Leah Ignagni
In the wake of the first report by Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian aired yesterday on CBS' The Early Show and online, Nashville police released a 14-page case summary of their investigation late Monday night, providing new details. The report contained a text message exchange between McNair and Kazemi hours before authorities say she shot him.
In that exchange, Kazemi appears desperate about her finances, an issue police believe led, in part, to the murder suicide.
At 10:05 a.m. July 3 Kazemi texted McNair, "Baby I might have a breakdown I am so stressed."
McNair replied a minute later, "Everything gonna be ok."
At 10:12 a.m. Kazemi texted, "Baby I need to pay the cell phone bills n the hospital. Can u transfer 2000 to my acc [account]."
Nine minutes later Kazemi texted McNair again, "Baby I might need to go to the hospital. Baby, what's wrong w me. I can hardly breath."
VIDEO: EARLY SHOW INVESTIGATIONAfter an exchange in which McNair tries to comfort her, he texted at 4 p.m. that he was at the pool with his kids and said, "I got the guy transferring the money."
The text messages can be read either to support the police theory that Kazemi was in a downward spiral, partially caused by stress over money, or that McNair had reassured her that he would help her financially.
Regardless of that exchange, what is still unclear is the real relationship between Kazemi and the man who allegedly sold her the murder weapon, Adrian Gilliam Jr.
The CBS Investigative Unit was able to obtain the never-before-seen call and text message history between Kazemi and Gilliam.
Gilliam, 33, told police he sold Kazemi the gun for $100 in a parking lot. He is a convicted felon with a record of second degree murder, as well as several robbery and burglary charges.
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Other Lover Leah Ignagni
Gilliam originally told police that Kazemi purchased the weapon the Thursday before her death, that he had met Kazemi randomly, and that the two barely knew each other. However, in an exclusive interview with CBS News, Gilliam revealed that he had sold the gun on Friday, July 3 — a detail police have now acknowledged in their case summary.
More importantly, never-before-seen cell phone records, obtained exclusively by CBS News, refutes Gilliam's claim that he barely knew Kazemi.
In the three weeks leading up to the deaths, records show that Kazemi and Gilliam were in touch every day, at all hours, sending over 200 text messages and calls.
And, on the July 3, the day before McNair and Kazemi died, she and Gilliam were in touch more times than on any other day, for a total of 49 texts or calls.
Gilliam was also one of the last people to speak with Kazemi before she died. He called her at 12:02 a.m. on July 4 — just two hours before police say she died — and the two spoke for three minutes.
"That's a big deal," Wayne Black, a former detective and private investigator said.
In addition, gun powder residue tests on Kazemi's hands were inconclusive, and CBS News uncovered little or no evidence that Gilliam ever sold Kazemi the gun.
Some experts say that given these findings, and Gilliam's criminal record, police should continue to look into this case and re-examine the evidence; all of it.
"Not only is he a convicted felon, he's a big liar," Black said.
"What should be done? It's simple; the police should investigate further," he added.
PHOTOS
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Lover Sahel Kazemi
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: McNair's Other Lover Leah Ignagni
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