Apartment staff tried contacting former Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber multiple times before finding him

FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - According to the Collin County Medical Examiner, former Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber died of a heat stroke in his Frisco apartment on June 1. Based on information from his autopsy and police incident report, Barber was in his apartment for at least two weeks before police found him.

The incident report from the Frisco Police Department says that on May 11, a neighbor of Barber put in a service request due to water leaking into their apartment from Barber's. That day, an employee of the apartment complex shut off water and scheduled another service visit to fix the issue the next day. 

The apartment complex could not make contact with Barber on May 12 or May 13, the report said. The doors at Barber's apartment were dead bolted from the inside, indicating someone was there. The apartment complex employee said numerous phone calls were made to Barber in an effort to make contact, but didn't get a response for about two weeks. Eventually, calls were going directly to voicemail, indicating the phone had died.

This was unlike Barber, as he was heard from or seen around the complex on a regular basis. The police report noted that the last time Barber's family had heard from him was on May 25.

Apartment employees left a letter on Barber's door, but it wasn't touched for a week. They began to worry and called for police.

Once officers and firefighters entered Barber's apartment through the garage, one of the officers said the apartment smelled like an odor 'consistent with death.' Barber was found in the bathtub of the master bathroom with the water off. Police said there was water running in the guest bathroom tub.

The autopsy report says the temperature in Barber's apartment was 91 degrees, with the heat set to 'on.' The autopsy noted that there was exercise equipment present and that he had a history of exercising during sauna-like conditions.

Barber's body had began decomposing, the autopsy said. There was indication of the use of antihistamine, which the autopsy said is associated with increased risk for heat-related illness. There was no sign of injury or other drug use.

Barber was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of Minnesota. He played for the Cowboys for six seasons from 2005 through 2010, making the Pro Bowl in his third season in the league. He was a popular player among Cowboys fans, rushing for 975 yards in 2007, using a physical running style to score 24 touchdowns during a two year period. 

Barber retired from the NFL in 2012 at age 28.