Updated: 7/5/2009 7:16:40 PM
The death of former Titans quarterback Steve McNair has been ruled a homicide, Nashville police said Sunday, but it will be a "number of days" before they can classify the death of a woman whose body was found next to his.
In a news conference, a police spokesman updated the investigation into the deaths of McNair and 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, whose bodies were discovered in a Second Avenue condo he rented.
She had a single gunshot wound to her head, and he suffered two gunshot wounds to the head and two to the chest, according to spokesman Don Aaron.
A pistol was found underneath Kazemi's body, Aaron said, but authorities did not discover it until the bodies were eventually moved during the investigation.
Ballistics and other testing has yet to be conducted, and investigators hope to determine the "trail of ownership" of the weapon.
Witnesses told investigators they saw McNair at two Nashville bars the night before their bodies were discovered. Police planned to interview management and other patrons at the bars.
Police: McNair and Kazemi were dating
Police also said McNair, who was married, had apparently been dating Kazemi for months.
The Tennessean reported that Kazemi worked at an Opry Mills restaurant.
The newspaper said police searched Kazemi's apartment in Hermitage yesterday and questioned neighbors who said they often saw McNair visiting Kazemi.
Neighbors told The Tennessean Kazemi would sometimes arrive home early in the morning in a limousine. They also heard arguments between her and her boyfriend.
They said she recently had a new black 2007 Cadillac Escalade she said was a gift from her boyfriend.
Police report Kazemi was arrested in that vehicle, which is registered to her and McNair, early Thursday.
She was charged with driving under the influence and refusing to take a breath analysis test. Police say she told them she was high, not drunk.
Police confirmed to The Tennessean that McNair was with Kazemi in the car. Police allowed him to take a cab home. He later bailed Kazemi out of jail.
Nashville Police said no suspects are in custody, but they have taken several people in for questioning.
Friend discovers bodies
Police said a longtime friend of McNair, who rented the condo with him, found the bodies a little before 1 p.m.
Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said Wayne Neely saw McNair on the sofa and Kazemi on the floor when he entered the condo, but did not immediately recognize that anything was wrong.
Neely entered the kitchen and noticed the blood on their bodies when we walked out again. He called another friend, who called 911.
Titans owner releases statement
Titans owner Bud Adams confirmed the quarterback's death in a brief statement released Saturday to the Associated Press.
Adams called him "one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."
McNair's career achievements
McNair led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl.
McNair played 13 seasons in the NFL, including 11 with the Titans. He left the Titans in 2005 to play for the Baltimore Ravens, and he retired from the NFL in 2007.
He was co-MVP of the 2003 season and threw 174 career touchdown passes.
The three-time pro-bowler was 36 years old. He leaves behind a wife, Mechelle, and four sons.
Former teammate shares memories of friendship with McNair
Former Titans running back Eddie George had this to say about his former teammate:
"We had so many good times. Him coming back from surgery coming back against Pittsburgh and diving headfirst over the pile, obviously the Super Bowl and the drive that we fell a yard short, but the one thing that I do remember most about Steve was that we would both together before every game inside the tunnel shaking everybody's hand, every player, every coach, every trainer, everybody that was a part of the Titans family and as we were going out and as we finished, we would stop and look at each other and say, 'I love you.' That was kind of the completion, that was it, that we were going out to war.
"That is the one thing that I always remember, is that we would always be there for each other and for the team and it was always about family first. His memories will always last forever.
"He was a warrior. He played hurt. He played on one leg and still went out there and performed. It is tough and in Nashville, the community here is so small that they lost a hero, not just myself, but the entire community. They have embraced Steve McNair and his family. The whole city of Nashville is mourning right now."
WBIR Editor's note: An earlier version of this story included a report from CNN and Nashville police that McNair's death was being considered a murder/suicide. Since authorities are not releasing any details about a motive, the article was updated to reflect the latest information.
