Reds outfielder dies after being shot, run over

[Caliente]

Reds outfielder dies after being shot, run over
12:53 AM CST on Thursday, November 6, 2003

Associated Press

CHANDLER, Ariz. – Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson was found dead early Wednesday on a residential street after he was shot and apparently run over in a Phoenix suburb, police said.

Chandler police said the death was being treated as a homicide.

A man was being held by police for questioning. No charges had been filed as of early evening.

Stenson, 25, made his major league debut this season and played 37 games for the Reds. He hit .247 with three home runs.

Stenson was playing this month for Scottsdale of the Arizona Fall League. He was hitting .394, third-best in the league.

Stenson's body was found after police received a call around 1:45 a.m. that shots had been fired. Witnesses told police a black SUV was seen leaving the area.

About 3:45 a.m., police found a vehicle matching the description, and it was registered to Stenson. The man found driving the vehicle was being held by Chandler police.

[kingrex]

Now that's cold-blooded. Not only do you shoot the guy, but you run him over for good measure. Someone must have really hated the dude.

[ItalianMobbstah187]

I hope arrests are imminent.

[cin]

Three Held in Reds Player's Slaying

PHOENIX - A 20-year-old transient suspected in the death last week of Cincinnati Reds (news) outfielder Dernell Stenson was arrested on Indian land east of Phoenix.


Two other men, half brothers, were already being held in connection with the case, one charged with possession of stolen property and the other held on suspicion of robbery, kidnapping and homicide.


Their relationship to the man arrested Saturday, David Griffith, wasn't immediately clear. Detectives have declined to give a detailed account of what happened or identify a motive in the baseball player's death.


Stenson, who had been playing in the Arizona Fall League, was found dead Wednesday in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler after a night out with friends. He had been shot and run over and apparently dragged by his own SUV.


Griffith was booked Saturday in connection with the theft of that SUV after surrendering to police at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, authorities said. Formal charges had not been filed, and authorities, who call Griffith a suspect in Stenson's death, declined to say why he wasn't booked on any other charges.


"We have some jurisdictional issues we need to go through," said Chandler police spokesman Sgt. Mark Franzen. Griffith was being held by tribal police.


Kevin Riddle, 43, who described himself as transient, was stopped by police while driving Stenson's SUV less than two hours after Stenson's body was found Wednesday, police said. He was charged late Friday with possession of stolen property and was being held on $10,000 bail.


His 19-year-old half brother, Reginald Riddle of Harvey, Ill., was booked Thursday on suspicion of homicide, armed robbery and kidnapping. He has not yet been formally charged. According to court documents, Reginald Riddle admitted his involvement during interviews with police.


Stenson, 25, made his major league debut with the Reds this year. His funeral was scheduled for Monday in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._player_killed

[ames7]

It's pretty horrible. And they still don't have a motive?

[cin]

11/10/2003 10:47 AM ET
Police: Robbery the motive

By Chris Haft / MLB.com


Dernell Stenson was playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League. (AP)


CHANDLER, ARIZ. -- Police have determined that robbery was the motive in last Wednesday's murder of Reds outfielder Dernell Stenson, and have arrested a fourth suspect.

According to Chandler police detectives, the robbery began at a nightclub where Stenson was present, but they have not obtained further details. Stenson's hands were bound as his attackers drove him away in his vehicle, a black 2002 Isuzu Rodeo. Investigators believe that Stenson was shot as he tried to escape from his car, then was run over by his attackers.

Police arrested Robert Lee Maye, 32, late Sunday evening at his Phoenix home and booked him into the Maricopa County Jail for hindering the prosecution in connection with Stenson's murder. Maye is a cousin of Kevin and Reginald Riddle, who were arrested last week.

On Sunday afternoon, David Griffith, 20, was arrested for vehicle theft as regards this case. Chandler detectives found Griffith at his mother's home, on the Salt River Indian Reservation.

Funeral services for Stenson, who was playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League, were scheduled to be held on Monday morning in LaGrange, Ga. Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said that interim manager Dave Miley, and players Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sean Casey were hoping to attend.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/ne...=.jsp&c_id=mlb