Cowboy Marshawn Neyland died after police believed he was driving a stolen car Dallas Cowboys
Body camera and body camera footage captured by law enforcement officials captured the events leading up to the death of Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Neyland earlier this month.
The 24-year-old was found dead in the early morning hours of November 6 hours after being pursued by officers who attempted to conduct a traffic stop in suburban Dallas. Police say Niland committed suicide.
At first, authorities did not know that the person they were chasing on the evening of November 5 was Niland, and initially thought the car he was driving had been stolen. After the driver abandoned the car after an accident, authorities learned that the suspect was Niland. His family and friends fear he is at risk of harm because he has sent them letters saying goodbye. They contacted the authorities to locate him.
A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper began pursuing Niland’s car at 10:33 p.m. that evening, according to the crime report. The trooper said Niland’s vehicle reached speeds higher than 145 mph, but other troopers in body camera footage released by DPS said they believe the chase reached speeds up to 160 mph.
The officer lost Niland’s car but it was later found around 10:45 p.m. after colliding with a truck in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. Troopers said Niland’s car was abandoned but they found an empty wallet inside, leading them to believe the driver was armed. Troopers and officers did not know at that point who the suspect was, and initially thought the car might have been stolen.
At approximately 11:20 p.m., DPS troopers and Frisco Police Department officers were searching for Niland in a wooded area and a series of sewer tunnels under the sidewalk. “If you’re in this tunnel, I’m going to send my dog in here. He’s going to bite you. This is your last chance,” the Frisco officer said.
Authorities later fired pepper balls into the tunnels and sent a drone but did not find Niland inside.
By 1 a.m. on November 6, authorities learned the driver was Niland, and briefly detained his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, without charging her. She drove to the scene in the search area but did not initially tell authorities about her connection to Keeneland. Authorities later said Mancera worked with officers to find Niland.
In other footage, law enforcement officers, searching the area, discussed that Neyland was an NFL player and that he had sent a farewell letter to his family members. About 30 minutes later, Niland’s body was found.
Mancera said in a Facebook post Monday that she still believes Niland will walk through their front door.
“My beautiful boy is truly gone. The things I would do just to hold you again and tell you how much you mean to me. But now I have you to take care of me and wait for me on the other side. I will see you again,” Mancera wrote.
The Cowboys said a memorial fund has been set up to support Mancera, who is pregnant with the couple’s child.
His Cowboys teammates have paid tribute to the defensive end since his death. “We love Marshawn and will continue to shine a light on him. We are fortunate to carry his light forward,” Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott said last week.