Mother Of Missing Former NFL Player Found Dead In Homicide Case

The mother of a former NFL player was found dead after both were reported missing from a Chicago suburb.

Myrtle Brown, 73, was reported to be unresponsive near a creek behind her home on Saturday (September 17) while authorities were searching for her and her son, Sergio Brown, 35, a safety who last played for the Buffalo Bills in 2016, police in Maywood, Illinois announced via NBC News. The elder Brown was reported to have been killed by "multiple injures due to assault" and her death was characterized as a homicide, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed in an email Sunday (September 17) night.

Myrtle and Sergio Brown were both reported missing on Saturday (September 16) after family members claimed they couldn't find or contact them, the Maywood Police Department said in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago. The elder Brown was located by authorities after the second round of a search launched to find the two individuals.

The police probe was characterized as a homicide investigation, however, the department's statement didn't categorize what led to that determination.

"Currently the Maywood Police Department is attempting to locate Mr. Sergio Brown," the department said.

Brown signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and spent his first two seasons with the franchise before signing with the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. The former Notre Dame standout spent three seasons with the Colts, as well as the 2015 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and 2016 season with the Bills.