McNair's Girlfriend Behind Murder-Suicide

Cops: Cash-Strapped and Jealous 20-year-old Shot NFL Star in his Sleep, then Killed Herself

(CBS/AP)  Former NFL star Steve McNair was shot dead in his sleep last week by a 20-year-old girlfriend distraught about mounting financial problems and her belief that he was seeing someone else, police said Wednesday.

Sahel Kazemi "was spinning out of control" when she shot McNair four times as he dozed on a sofa early Saturday, then turned the gun on herself, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said.

Interviews with friends revealed that she was making payments on two cars, her rent was doubling and she suspected the married McNair was having a second affair with another young woman.

She told a friend on Friday that "My life is a ball of s--- and I should end it," Serpas said.

Police earlier had labeled McNair's death a homicide, but waited for further tests and the revelations about Kazemi's personal problems before concluding that she pulled the trigger of a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in a condominium McNair rented with a friend.

One of the first people to see the bodies in the condominium dialed 9-1-1, but hung up. Click here to listen to the conversation he had with the 9-1-1 emergency operator in Nashville, who called him back and stayed on the line until police arrived.

McNair, 36, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, met Kazemi six months ago at a sports cafe where she was a waitress and his family often ate. She seemed happy and eager to build a life with him, but something went wrong.

"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 detectives learned that Kazemi recently found out about another young woman she thought McNair was romantically involved with and had even followed that woman home, though she did not confront her.

Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep when he was killed because there were no defensive wounds. After shooting McNair in the head, Kazemi apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him again in the head.

Before shooting herself, she sat next to his body and "tried to stage it so she would fall in his lap," Serpas said. She did, but her body slid to the floor and ended up at McNair's feet. The gun was found underneath her.

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 earlier Wednesday that McNair's wife, Mechelle McNair, "didn't know who this girl is." No records of divorce proceedings have surfaced. The McNairs have four children.

Two days before the shooting, police stopped Kazemi driving a Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle that McNair had given 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.

Serpas said that even though both her name and McNair's were on the Cadillac's title, she was apparently responsible for making payments. She was also making payments on another car after she couldn't sell it.

Kazemi had no history of violence, but "on the last several days of her life it's obvious that she made some very poor decisions," Serpas said.

Mechelle McNair has not spoken publicly since the shooting. Bishop Joseph W. Walker III of Mount Zion Baptist Church, which the McNairs have attended since moving to Nashville in 1997, said Wednesday that she is doing as well as can be expected.

"Her faith is what's sustaining her now," he said. "We haven't talked about the circumstances of his death. She is processing it in a private way. It's obviously devastating on so many levels."

A memorial service is set for Thursday night in Nashville, with the funeral Saturday in his native Mississippi.

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 and look at photos of the quarterback. There was also a book for them to write messages that will be given to the family.

McNair was known as "Air McNair" for his passing prowess at Alcorn State in Mississippi. In 2000, he helped lead the Titans to the Super Bowl, where they ended up a yard short of a touchdown on the last play of the game when they trailed by seven points.

He spent the last two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before retiring from the NFL last year.

[carolcape]

Well, I don't know what to say. This man was having an affair. He was obviously leading this young woman to think he was going to marry her. He was quite some years older then her and was worldly for sure. And if he was working on another affair, what was he thinking.I mean he had children, he should have been looking after them. Oh yes, how can you give someone a car for their birthday and have them make the payments. No wonder this young woman was in a panic about the bills. He put an awful lot of responsibility on a 20 year old girl. A fatal attraction of sorts. Well it is the same old story, you cannot have your cake and eat it too......

[ladypirate2]

If her man was cheating I don't know what else she should have expected because that's the way she got him! She stole him from his wife! She should have known he would cheat on her! I believe we reap what we sow and what goes around comes around! When we do something wrong to someone, as she did by stealing another woman's husband, we eventually get it handed right back to us, usually in spades!

Somehow women like her, though, always think that he's so in love with them that they're the one that he'll stay with forever. WRONG! Most men that cheat on their wives eventually cheat on their girlfriends too because they get bored and want to move on or they are delusional and think that they can handle and satisfy more than one woman at a time. They are players. They don't usually stay with one woman for very long.

Obviously she couldn't stand the idea of losing him to another woman or having to share him so she thought that if she couldn't have him no one could and she killed him and then killed herself.

This should be a lesson to cheaters! First of all don't cheat on your wives! If you do at least have sense enough to not to cheat with someone who is insane!

[ladypirate2]

by Kuei1248 July 9, 2009 7:21 AM PDT
"And again, males can't keep their pants zipped and think everybody should still glorify them when they throw their kids and wives over for bimbos who will stroke their PRECIOUS ego's.... "

Maybe if american women were not so selfish and useless they could keep their men happy. American women are complete trash. Nobody in the world wants them.


Real American men do!

[ragtopvette]

You want to be a player this is what happens.

[dmobile215]

Damn the brothers always go out there race and find something they think is the way out, and it was I still say rest in peace brother because lord knows we all have made our mistakes, there are not to many smart females out here now of days rather you pick a model from California, or a Hood Rat from Philadelphia PA, mostly 65% of these females have issues. Most of these issues are control and there are men who are like this as well but in this situation this chick is a little nut case. At least I know now not to make a date with another race of people because they have different beliefs and who knows what this chick has been through she thought she had a CASH COW, and he was milking someone else and look what happened its a crying shame what people do when they get stressed but these things happen. I am sure she made a small cry for help but no one listened. God bless you brother.

Dmobile215

Note: this is a note for all you sports players stick with your own kind less stress! and you can live a little longer! if you do not like what I say then just do not read my articles. But I have seen a lot of my people get dragged and detained like animals this is the reason I say stick with your kind. Make our future possible! You can not make someone into something they are not.

[charman6]

The girl came from a Baha'i family. Baha'is have progressive teachings and have been severely persecuted in Iran since the 19th century, and especially severely in since the Muslim fundamentalist takeover in 1979. But that religion forbids murder, alcohol, drugs, pre-marital sex, and, of course, adultery. So I guess we can assume she wasn't really observant. No Baha'i would judge her fate after death, since the heart can change in a split second (too late for McNair if so) she definitely wouldn't have been a Baha'i in good standing while alive. At least as far as know of the religion.
If she was the killer--and I wonder about that--she was seriosly disturbed. But the teachings of her religion emphasize peace and harmonious relationships.

[valentin73]

...and for you "married" men who are thinking about hanky panky ing outside of your marriage think again.,......
when McNair retired from the NFL, he gave the same ole, same ole, liner: ...to spend more time with the family.........
What the heck was he doing with this low life, foreigner, who did not amount to anything worth having an affair, ......

[Newster1]

driving a Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle that McNair had given her for her birthday in May.
she was apparently responsible for making payments."

He GIVES her this car for her birthday but then shes making payments on it???? what kind of "gift" is that???

[stickdog3]

This is going to be on CBS 48 Hours Mystery. I guarantee you. Why? Its obvious. The Police want this over and done with. You get a Cadillac Escalade for your birthday, and than . . . . you pay for it. You ahve financial problems, your rent has just doubled you're paying for another car as well as the Escalade. Payments on the Escalade has to be around $500 or more a month and you're a waitress at Dave & Busters. But, you're screwing a NFL superstar worth millions, do you believe what that Chief of Police was saying yesterday? Come on. I guarantee you this girl was taken care of. I'm not discounting the wife out of this, or his boys, and the ones who found the body, still haven't been fully discounted by me. You walk in a house see two people laying aske on the floor and couch go past them than come back and see blood, so you run out the house and dial 911, no you call your boy, wait for him to come over, than you call 911 all the while the clock is ticking are the cleanup is on, please. I guarantee you the 48 Hours Mystery people are chomping at the bit on this one. Can't wait to put it together.

[ErrorInUse]

I smell some ******** here. She staged the shooting so she would fall into McNair's lap? Oh yeah? McNair gave her an Escalade for her birthday in May...but she's paying for it? Oh yeah? She was "spinning out of control" say the Keystone Coppers? Oh yeah? ********.

[stillwaters6]

Lesson for all women


1) DO NOT SIGN A PRE-NUP BEFORE MARRIAGE!

2) IF YOU ARE DATING A MARRIED MAN-- THE WIFE GETS EVERYTHING!

3) GET A SEPERATE BANK ACCOUNT IN YOUR NAME ONLY AND ONE IN THE NAME OF YOUR CHILDREN WITH ANOTHER RELATIVE.

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

This girl got upset & started following/ stalking another girl. She didn't get upset about the WIFE but someone else. Those who get involved with someone married are stupid. If they are cheating on someone with you then of course they may also cheat one you too. My thought & prayers are with Steves family, no matter what Steve did I know he loved them. Why he did it will never know but sometimes people make big mistakes. He has paid for his.

[PostalOneToo]

To Girlfriend #2: You are lucky she did not take you out FIRST. Be grateful and LEARN from this. We all make mistakes but should not have to die from them.

[mtdrmbland]

I want to bring up a point nobody has mentioned yet...but before I do...I just want to say how terrible it is for everyone involved. I mean EVERYONE from her family that thought they were going to get married, to the friends she told she should just end her life, to the wife and kids who have lost a father and husband, and to his family who have lost a son, brother, etc.

My point: How many spouses do NOT have a clue the other spouse is cheating ? I feel empathy for the wife but come on...He's living in Tennesee, selling THEIR home, and she is living in Mississippi. Sounds like she "knew" more than what she is pretending to know. Maybe, just maybe, she is trying to protect the children.

[voxpopulus]

How many beer goggles did it take to find HER sexy?

[Dgunner]

A mans actions like his footprints follow him never far behind and slow to fade. They can only end where they began , with the man. Chief Joseph 1879. It appears as if the mans actions caught up with him.

[robinspp]

Gun kills, whether it is with criminals or with lovers. It kills. Keep it up.

[gunownerdan]

It's so easy to blame the gun.
An inanimate object is only as dangerous as the person holding it!

[voxpopulus]

eah well, try and kill a dozen people with a limp noodle.

[anti-global2]

McNair made a mistake, most of us do at one time or another, maybe not in this way but we all screw up. He did not deserve this.
The bottom line is a man who was loved by millions and who did alot of good things for a lot of people is gone. That is a tragedy. The woman on the other hand was a nobody who apparently liked to spend other people's money. What is more tragic is this is someone who could have just killed herself and nobody but a handful of people would have even known or cared about it, it would have made no difference. Instead she had to take McNair with her, what a sorry b--ch.

[tbbaot]

I understand there is some blame to be shared, but how do you meet someone, date them for only a few months...and are willing to murder and end your own life? She must have had some serious mental issues.

[ahrats]

The police are taking the easy way out. How many people who are going to kill themselves after killing their loved ones shoot them 4 times, usually it's once and then turn the gun on themselves. Shooting some 4 times indicates anger. I don't believe it, many people are in finaical trouble and @ 20 you have a lot of time to pay back for your mistakes, so they take the cars away, not a reason to kill yourself. She looks like an attactive girl, who would have no problem replacing a 36 year old man. I dont know all the details but something does not add-up, did this girl have signs that she was depressed and most women do not use guns to kill themselves.