Former RB Lawrence Phillips Suspected Of Killing Cellmate

Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips has had a rough couple of years. After washing out of the NFL and CFL, he was convicted on two counts of domestic battery — for choking his girlfriend twice — and for hitting three teens with his car following a pickup football game. This resulted in the former star athlete receiving 31-plus years behind bars.

Now, he is suspected of killing his cellmate Damion Soward, a prisoner guilty of first-degree murder. Soward was found lifeless in the two’s Kern Valley State Prison cell, according to a statement from Lt. Marshall Denning to ESPN.

Once a highly sought after running back from Nebraska, he was drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Rams in 1996. But after two years with the team, he was released after a dispute with head coach Dick Vermeil. Soon after, he had opportunities with the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, but blew those chances with both on and off-the-field drama: he was released by Miami following an arrest for battery and by the 49ers for a dispute with head coach Steve Mariucci. He finished his NFL career with only 1,453 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 35 games.

Afterwards, he played in the AFL and CFL before finally calling it quits following the 2003 season. In his final year, he was released from the Calgary Stampeders after allegedly arguing with head coach Jim Barker.

Now, the night of the alleged murder, another prisoner, John Munoz, was suspected of killing his cellmate, according to prison officials. But again, little is known and the investigators are unsure whether these two incidents are connected.