The NASHVILLE TENNESSEAN reports this afternoon that, “Police have determined that Sahel Kazemi murdered former Titans quarterback Steve McNair last weekend with four shots while he was asleep on the couch, then sat down next to him and shot herself in the temple.“
(Sahel Kazemi with friend in Las Vegas)
Nashville Police Chief Ronal Serpas said that a four-day investigation revealed Kazemi, “had become very distraught, and on two occasions told friends and associates that her life was all messed up and she ‘was going to end it all.’ Several things were overwhelming her, including financial problems … Her roommate was moving out, meaning her rent payment was about to increase. She was also making payments on the Escalade she co-owned with McNair.“
Residue from the murder weapon was found on Kazemi’s left hand, which appears to be the final piece of the puzzle for police to declare her McNair’s murderer.
Serpas also addressed the question of why no one heard the shots coming from the condo early Sunday morning.
Serpas said they did not exact time of the shooting, but believed it happened sometime after 1 a.m. or 1:45 a.m. The next-door neighbor was not home that night, and arrived home between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., and heard nothing after that.
Having previously covered high profile athletes and celebrities for 16 years in a main media career, I observed these types of relationships all the time - sans the tragic ending.
There’s no defending what Kazemi did, and McNair certainly DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE. But his behavior in this case did play a role in his untimely demise - something that the sports media will most likely not focus on.
The past couple days, McNair’s former teammates, coaches and the sports media that covered him have begged us to not remember him for the details of his needless death.
I think it should be just the opposite.
People should remember this case, as it could perhaps prevent something as senseless as this from happening again. Maybe I’m naive, but I think that’s more important than harkening McNair’s slightly-above-average football career.
7:49 pm on July 8th, 2009
You know what…Amen! No one should feel anything but remorse for McNair’s death and the tragic effect this has on his family. But, to ignore the fact that this is a married man off messing around with a 20 year old woman….Sorry. The guy’s actions played into his own demise. It’s sad. It’s horrifying and it’s a terrible testament to how people can let their lives spin away uncontrolably, but Steve McNair had no business being with the woman in the first place. Athletes who continue to live their lives believing there are no consequences are starting to see tales ending in jail time, lost careers and now, sadly, even death. Not naive enough to think that any of them will clue in and actually beleive it could happen to them and make some changes, but I appluad a media source that takes a stand and highlights that maybe the biggest spin-story here isn’t whether he should be considered for Hall of Fame, but maybe it’s whether living a daily life of cheating and deceit leads to tragic consequences.
7:50 pm on July 8th, 2009
I agree, people should remember this aspect of McNair’s life. Just like we should remember Michael Jackson’s, Elvis’ and any celebrity whose life is cut short by a unnecessary and untimely ending.
8:48 pm on July 8th, 2009
Wacko Jacko was a baby dangling, pedophile. Let’s remember that, not his has been pop career.
9:48 pm on July 8th, 2009
McNair shouldn’t have been screwing around on his wife, but lets keep the focus where it should be: Some crazy 20 year old nut job who had illusions of grandeur. She thought he was going to leave his wife and they would live happily ever after. What McNair was doing was wrong, but crazy is crazy and shouldn’t me overlooked.
10:38 pm on July 8th, 2009
Amen, Jones, Amen.
11:48 pm on July 8th, 2009
“There’s no defending what Kazemi did, and McNair certainly DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE. But his behavior in this case did play a role in his untimely demise - something that the sports media will most likely not focus on.”
Good paragraph, sums it all up. Nicely done.
11:52 pm on July 8th, 2009
What I find laughable is that all of her “friends” these self-centered, look at me I’m dating so and so, heard her say she was going to end it all and did nothing about it. Well the blood is on your hands too you freaking tramps.
BTW - Who supplied the photos of the who-ers at the pool in Vegas? One of the who-ers probably.
3:04 am on July 9th, 2009
Iranian Dave N’ Busters peddling ghetto skank! There must be a higher order of skank to get shot by.
8:52 am on July 9th, 2009
I find it interesting that a trace of gunshot residue was found on the left hand however the autopsy found that Kazemi shot herself in the right temple.
10:39 am on July 9th, 2009
She should have stayed in her own country and this tragedy would not have happened !
10:54 am on July 9th, 2009
Get over yourself, Love The U S A. This is not an immigration issue.
11:09 am on July 9th, 2009
Now there is talk that there is yet another, a second mistress. This is just pathetic, all the money, fame, family and McNair still wasn’t satisfied. He should have sought help for his excessive drinking and sex addiction. He recently opened a restaurant near the campus of Tn State University. I suspect that he would have likely used this place to troll for yet more young women to use. I don’t condone what Kazemi did at all. But after hearing this story, I am not suprised. His is yet another cautionary tale, people, wake up. My deepest sympathies to his wife, mom, and kids, I hope that they can move forward and have happy lives.
12:25 pm on July 9th, 2009
domn8tr, she probably held the pistol two-handed, with her left hand over the barrel and blocking most of the powder.
12:47 pm on July 9th, 2009
I find it interesting that a trace of gunshot residue was found on the left hand however the autopsy found that Kazemi shot herself in the right temple.
Love The U S A
10:39 am on July 9th, 2009
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This one definitely makes me go hmmm. Especially with the ex boyfriend promising to do him in and having visited the condo that day. Can someone say further investigation warranted. Hmmmm.
1:01 pm on July 9th, 2009
No matter how you cut it, no one deserves to be murdered for any reason let alone because of infedility. Maybe in Iran, but not in our culture.
For those who feel different you are welcme to move to Iran where you are locked up for taking a picture of people demonstrating peacefully, and murdered for participating in a demonstration to protest the government stealing of a National Presidential Election.
2:08 pm on July 9th, 2009
As for the left hand residue and right temple shot–the police explained it without getting to far into the gory details. She held the gun two handed, which would have left residue on both hands, when shooting McNair. Then she sat down at McNair’s right before shooting herself with her right hand into the right temple. Two things will happen when she shoots herself: (1) the gun will recoil and she will drop it on the floor in front of the sofa. (2)she will fall left face down in McNair’s lap and her right arm will be leading her off the sofa. Then she slides off the sofa onto the gun right arm/hand first. This hand wound up in a pool of blood, so a residue test couldn’t pick up any material.
Note the residue only being detected on her left hand doesn’t mean she shot herself left handed. It just means that based upon her position and her falling off the sofa onto the floor, she wound up soaking her right hand in blood.
6:02 pm on July 9th, 2009
sounds like someone has been watching alot of CSI. go Grisom.
1:54 am on July 10th, 2009
It’s obvious that Saleh had a dependent personality disorder, as well as several other emotional and psychological problems. The worst thing you can do to someone like that is to abandon them, and send them back into their miserable state of being, after pulling them out of it for a while. So when Steve played her like he did these last five months, he did the worst possible thing you could do to a most vulnerable type of person. Karma being what it is, his bad deeds came back to haunt him, and rather quickly, since by murdering him in his sleep, she did the worst possible thing you could do to a most vulnerable type of person. You reap what you sow.
5:10 am on July 10th, 2009
What was she supposed to do - go back to driving a Kia?!?!