January 29, 2025 • 25 mins
The tragic story of Steve McNair, a beloved NFL quarterback, takes a shocking turn as it reveals how a 20-year-old waitress, Sahel Kazemi, orchestrated his death. Set against the backdrop of Nashville in 2009, McNair appeared to live the perfect life, but beneath the surface lay devastating secrets that would ultimately lead to his untimely demise. As their intertwined lives spiral into chaos, we explore the complexities of relationships, fame, and the dark side of celebrity. This episode delves into the events leading up to their deaths, including Kazemi's struggles with financial and emotional turmoil. Through a detailed investigation, we uncover how one tragic moment can ripple through a community, leaving lasting scars and unanswered questions.
- 5 things we learned from Netflix's Steve McNair murder documentary
- Details on McNair Murder Come to Light
- Fall of Titan Steve McNair Murder: Jenni Kazemi text messages, details
- Steve McNair & Sahel Kazemi Policy Case Summary
- Steve McNair's Net Worth Was the Subject of Lawsuits
- Sahel Kazemi: A study in the woman police say killed Steve McNair a year ago - ESPN
- Today.com: Who Killed Air McNair? The True Story Behind the 'Untold' Episode
- Where Are Steve McNair’s Sons Now? A Look at His 4 Kids' Lives
- Where Is Steve McNair’s Wife Now? Inside Mechelle McNair’s Life Today
- Widow of murdered NFL player gets $2.5 million – The Mississippi Link
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hi crime fans.
I'm your host, Judy and you'relistening to fangirl Crime.
Today.
We're covering a case thatshook not just the NFL world, but
an entire city to its core.
This is the story of SteveMcNair, a beloved football star whose
life was cut tragically shortin a case that would leave Nashville
reeling and raise questionsabout fame, relationships and the
(00:27):
dark side of celebrity.
Be advised that this episodecontains discussions of domestic
violence, murder and suicide.
Please listen with care.
Today's story is not yourtypical one.
Usually we're telling youabout young women who fall victim
to predatory men.
But this case flips the script entirely.
(00:48):
This is a story about how a 20year old woman orchestrated the death
of one of the NFL's mostcelebrated quarterbacks.
Let me paint the picture for you.
It's 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Steve McNair is living whatappears to be the perfect life.
He's a three time Pro bowlquarterback, beloved by fans, married
(01:10):
with four children and justretired from a 13 year NFL career
where he was known as Air McNair.
But beneath that perfectsurface lurked a devastating secret
that would ultimately lead tohis death.
On July 4, 2009, policeresponded to a condo in downtown
Nashville.
(01:31):
Inside, they found the bodiesof 36 year old Steve McNair and 20
year old Sahel Kazemi.
But here's where this storygets truly Sahel wasn't just another
victim.
She was both the perpetratorand a victim of her own actions.
She was a young waitress whohad become entangled in a relationship
with McNair, believing hewould leave his wife for her.
(01:55):
When that fantasy began tocrumble, she made a decision that
would shock the entire NFL community.
Chills.
If you're wondering how acelebrated NFL quarterback and a
20 year old waitress ended upin this tragic situation, stick around.
We're going to tell youeverything we know about the case
of Steve McNair where thevictim became the headline and the
(02:19):
perpetrator was someone no onewould have suspected.
Full disclosure.
As a football fan, this casehits particularly close to home.
Steve McNair wasn't just afootball player.
He went to a small college andstunned the NFL, bringing Tennessee
to their first super bowl andcreating a fan base in Nashville
after the Houston Oilersuprooted the team and moved there
(02:40):
in 1997.
But today we're going to lookbeyond the touchdown passes and the
glory days to uncover thecomplex and tragic story of his death.
At 1:35pm, a 911 dispatchergets this call about two bodies found
in a downtown condo.
But here's the thing, and thisdetail literally gave me chills when
(03:03):
I first read it.
The person who called 911wasn't even the person who found
them.
A man named Wayne Neely drivesup to a condominium in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Now, this isn't just any condo.
It belongs to former NFLquarterback Steve McNair.
And Wayne has a key becausethey're friends.
(03:24):
Here's where things get wild.
It's 12:40 in the afternoonwhen Wayne uses his key to enter
the condo.
And what he finds inside.
Fangirls, I literally cannotmake this up.
He sees two bodies, Oneslumped on the couch, another lying
on the floor near the firstperson's feet.
(03:44):
Now, you might be thinking,okay, but maybe they're just sleeping.
That's exactly what Waynethought at first.
But here's the thing thatmakes absolutely no sense.
There is blood everywhere,like, pools of it.
But somehow, Wayne doesn'tprocess this right away.
And what does he do next?
Fangirls, prepare yourselves,because this is bananas.
(04:06):
Instead of immediately calling911, Wayne goes to the kitchen and
drinks a beer.
Crazy right then, and I knowthis sounds completely unhinged,
he looks at the bodies again,finally notices all the blood.
And instead of calling thepolice, he leaves the scene and calls
McNair's friend, Robert Gatty.
When questioned later bypolice, Wayne claimed he was too
(04:29):
shocked to process what he was seeing.
But fangirls, I have so many questions.
Like who drinks a beer whenthey find two bodies?
Why leave the scene?
And most importantly, how doyou not notice pools of blood immediately?
Remember, if you're ever in asituation where you discover something
suspicious, call the police.
Don't drink a beer.
(04:49):
Don't leave the scene.
Don't call a friend first,fangirls, what happens next just
blows my mind.
Robert Gatty races over to thecondo and goes inside with Wayne.
And let me tell you, Gattyknows immediately what they're dealing
with.
These aren't people sleeping.
This isn't some misunderstanding.
He recognizes one of thebodies as his friend Steve McNair.
(05:12):
But here's where I'mabsolutely losing it.
Instead of calling 911 rightthen and there, they both leave the
scene.
Finally, finally, Gatty makesthe call to police.
When law enforcement arrivesat 1:39 in the afternoon, what they
find is absolutely devastating.
There on the Sofa is SteveMcNair, a legend, one of the NFL's
(05:35):
most celebrated quarterbacks,with not one, not two, but four gunshot
wounds.
Two to his body.
Two to his head.
And fangirls, this next partgives me full body chills.
Lying on the floor nearSteve's body is 20 year old Sahel
Kazemi, who, who everyone knewas Jenny.
She has a single gunshot woundto her head.
(05:58):
And underneath her body,police find a 9 millimeter pistol.
Let that sink in.
Two bodies, five gunshotwounds, one weapon, and so many questions
about what happened in thosefinal moments.
But to understand how we gothere, we need to go back.
Let me tell you about SteveMcNair, because his story is absolutely
(06:20):
incredible.
Picture this small town calledMount Olive, Mississippi.
Steve is one of five kids in afamily where money is tight.
Steve would often do farmchores before going to school and
resume then after he got back.
But that did not hold Steve back.
Hard work was not a problem.
He lettered in four sports inhigh school and was even drafted
(06:43):
by the Seattle Marinersbaseball team after graduating high
school.
But football was his destiny.
He turned down a scholarshipto the University of Florida to attend
Alcorn state.
That's where McNair's fame grew.
He becomes this absolutesensation at Alcorn State University.
Now, if you're not a footballfan, let me explain why this is such
(07:06):
a big deal.
Alcorn State is what's calledan hbcu, a historically black college,
and it's way smaller than thebig football powerhouses.
But McNair, he balls out sohard that he comes in third for the
Heisman Trophy.
This is literally unheard offor a player from a small school.
(07:27):
Like it hadn't happened beforeand it hasn't happened since.
He gets drafted third overallby the Houston Oilers in 1995.
And, y'all, this is where hislegend really begins.
The team moves to Tennessee,becomes the Titans, and McNair becomes
this absolute superstar.
We're talking Super bowlappearance, three Pro Bowls, the
(07:50):
works.
He was so important to thefranchise that they retired his number
nine jersey.
Fangirls, we need to talkabout who Steve McNair was beyond
the headlines.
Because this part of thestory, it's going to break your heart.
In Nashville, Steve wasn'tjust some NFL player passing through.
(08:11):
He became part of the city's soul.
Picture this.
You're walking down the streetin Nashville and there's Steve McNair
just stopping to chat withfans and sign autographs like it's
no big deal.
Because to him, it wasn't.
This was his home.
And fangirls, when I tell youhe was involved in the community,
(08:32):
he went all in.
He's running this youthFootball camp, helping kids chase
their dreams.
When Hurricane Katrina hits,he's there helping with disaster
relief.
He even opens this restaurantcalled Steve McNair's Gridiron 9.
That becomes the place to bein Nashville.
Now let's talk about hisfamily life, because this is important.
(08:55):
Steve marries his collegesweetheart, Michelle, and they have
two beautiful boys together,Tyler and Trenton.
He also has two sons fromprevious relationships, Steve Jr.
And Stephen O'Brien.
And every single person whoknew him said the same thing.
This man was a devoted father.
But here's what makes thisstory so powerful.
(09:19):
Steve McNair grew up inpoverty, and he didn't just make
it out, he thrived.
He becomes this incrediblesports star.
But more than that, he becomesa leader in his community.
He was living proof that theAmerican dream could be real.
Let that sink in.
A man who had everything.
Family, success, respect,community, love.
(09:40):
And fangirls.
Knowing how this story ends,it just makes everything we're about
to tell you that much more tragic.
But as we know, in true crime,public Personas don't always tell
the whole story.
Let me tell you about thefinal chapter of Steve McNair's NFL
career.
Because what happens nextchanges everything.
Steve had hung up his cleatsand was trying to figure out what
(10:04):
life looked like after football.
And this part, this is wherethings start getting complicated.
That picture perfect marriageto Michelle, it wasn't so perfect
anymore.
Divorce was looming on the horizon.
And that downtown condo hehad, fangirls, it wasn't just some
innocent crash pad for latenights at his restaurant.
(10:26):
This condo becomes the spacewhere Steve is entertaining other
women.
And then In December of 2008,something happens that will ultimately
lead us to that tragic July morning.
Steve McNair walks into a Daveand Buster's and meets a young woman
named Sahel Kazemi.
(10:46):
Now, fangirls, everyone calledher Jenny.
And I need you to rememberthat name.
Because what unfolds betweenthese two people over the next seven
months, the details of theirrelationship, they become absolutely
crucial to understandingeverything that happens next.
We're talking about arelationship that starts in an arcade
and ends in tragedy.
(11:07):
And every single detail, everydecision, every moment between them,
it all matters.
Kazemi's story is equallyimportant to understand.
Born in Iran, she and herfamily fled to Turkey when she was
nine years old, eventuallymaking their way to the United States
as refugees.
By the time she was 20, Kazemiwas working as a server at Dave and
(11:31):
Buster's in Nashville.
Steve McNair is a regularthere and it's where he first crosses
paths with Sahel, JennyKazemi, and fangirls.
The word is that Jenny wasabsolutely smitten from the moment
she saw him.
I mean, can you blame her?
We're talking about an NFL superstar.
But here's where things get complicated.
(11:53):
Despite Steve being marriedand their 23 year age gap, I'll say
that again.
23 years, they start dating.
And when I say dating, I mean dating.
We're talking full on romanticgetaways to the beach, fancy dinners
out, trips to party cities,the works.
They're not exactly trying tokeep things under wraps.
(12:16):
Not now.
Here's something that's goingto be super important later.
Jenny is telling her friendsthat Steve is in the process of getting
divorced.
But fangirls, this is where weneed to pause.
Because this detail, thismight not have actually been true.
And I cannot stress enough howcrucial this misconception becomes
(12:37):
to our story.
Let that sink in.
A young woman in lovebelieving she's building a future
with someone who might nothave been as available as she thought.
Or we need to talk about thered flags that started appearing
in the months before thistragedy unfolded, because they are
everything.
(12:57):
Let me paint this picture for you.
Jenny's life is starting tounravel, both financially and emotionally.
And when I tell you the stressshe was under.
First, let's break down thefinancial nightmare she's dealing
with.
Her roommate just moved out,leaving her stuck with an extra thousand
dollars in rent every single month.
(13:17):
But that's not all.
She's also juggling paymentson not one, but two vehicles.
There's this Kia that a friendwas supposed to take over the payments
for but didn't.
And she's making payments on aCadillac Escalade that she co owns
with Steve.
But y'all, the emotionalturmoil, that's where this story
takes an even darker turn.
(13:37):
According to Emily Andrews,Jenny's former roommate, Jenny and
Steve had been talking about marriage.
She thought they were buildingthis future together.
This whole life she hadplanned out in her head.
But then.
And this detail makes mystomach drop.
Jenny finds something inSteve's condo that changes everything.
(13:58):
We're talking tampons and usedcondoms in the trash can.
Let that sink in.
Evidence that Steve might beseeing other women, shattering this
perfect future she thought shewas going to have.
Fangirls.
When someone's world startscrumbling both financially and emotionally
like this, that's when peoplecan start making decisions from a
(14:19):
place of desperation.
The events of July 2, 2009,just 48 hours before the tragedy
are about to show us just howcomplicated this situation had become.
Jenny is driving with SteveMcNair in the passenger seat when
she gets pulled over andarrested for dui.
(14:40):
Steve isn't charged at allbecause police say he had no idea
she was intoxicated.
But fangirls, what happensnext is going to make your blood
boil.
Instead of staying to supportJenny through this crisis, Steve
McNair takes a taxi from the scene.
And yes, he does arrange forher bail bond.
(15:00):
But this next part, he leavesJenny to deal with the aftermath
of her arrest alone while hegoes to spend the night at another
woman's apartment.
Let me say that again.
While Jenny is dealing withthe consequences of a DUI arrest,
the man she believes isplanning a future with her is sleeping
at another woman's place.
And can we talk about thosetext messages between them?
(15:23):
Because they are absolutelyheartbreaking when you read them.
Now.
On July 3rd, just hours beforeeverything went down, Jenny texts
McNairy, Baby, I might have a breakdown.
I am so stressed.
Then later, baby, I need topay the cell phone bills.
And the hospital, can youtransfer 2000 to my account?
(15:45):
McNair responds that he'sgetting someone to transfer the money.
But, y'all, you can feel thedesperation building in these messages.
And it gets worse.
Then later on July 3rd, Jennydoes something that changes everything.
She buys a 9 millimeterhandgun from this guy named Adrian
Gilliam.
Now, this detail becomes superimportant later because Gilliam was
(16:08):
actually a convicted felon on parole.
And the story of how Jenny gotthe gun becomes this whole other
controversy.
Now let's talk about July 4, 2009.
We already know about Neelyeventually finding the bodies after
first seeing them and drinkinga beer.
We also know about Gatti beingcalled by Neely coming by the condo
(16:31):
and finally calling 91 1.
The police investigation wasled by Detective Charles Robinson,
his first major case.
And fangirls, what a case it was.
The crime scene told ahorrific story.
McNair was on the couch, shottwice in the head and twice in the
chest.
Jenny was lying face down onthe floor beside him with a single
(16:52):
gunshot wound to her head.
A 9 millimeter pistol wasfound underneath her body.
The positions of the bodiesled Robinson to conclude Jenny had
meant to fall in McNair's lapafter shooting herself, but instead
slid down to the.
The investigation thatfollowed would reveal the tragic
sequence of events that led totheir deaths.
And I have to tell you, crimefans, this is where the story becomes
(17:15):
particularly heartbreaking.
And one where our hero's Storytook a turn none of us could have
anticipated.
Through extensive police workand interviews with witnesses, investigators
pieced together the final daysof both McNair and Jenny.
On July 3, just hours beforethe murders, Kazemi had purchased
(17:38):
the 9 millimeter pistol fromGilliam in the parking lot of Dave
and Busters.
The transaction was legalunder Tennessee law at the time,
though it would later sparkdiscussions about private gun sales.
Cell phone records showed thatin the early morning hours of July
4, Kazemi texted McNair,saying she was so stressed and needed
(18:00):
to talk.
McNair replied that he wouldcome over after dropping a friend
off at home.
Surveillance footage showedMcNair arriving at the condo around
1:30am the investigationrevealed that Kazemi had become increasingly
desperate in the days leadingup to the murder suicide.
She was struggling financiallydespite McNair's help with her bills.
(18:22):
She had maxed out her creditcards and was making payments on
two cars.
The one McNair had bought withher and another she had co signed
for with her former boyfriend.
Friends reported that shesuspected McNair was seeing other
women and she had followed himto another condo where she believed
he was meeting someone else.
But here's what's fascinatingabout how Nashville police handled
(18:45):
this.
They were under intensepressure to solve this case quickly.
We're talking national mediaattention, sports networks camping
out in Nashville, and thiswhole city holding its breath.
The Titans training facilitywas getting bombarded with media
requests.
Local sports bars where McNairused to hang out were being swarmed
(19:05):
by reporters.
The investigation had to lookinto every angle.
They subpoenaed phone records,interviewed dozens of witnesses,
and had to piece together thisincredibly complex timeline.
They talked to everyone fromKazemi's co workers at Dave and Buster's
to the guy who sold her the gun.
The investigators mapped outMcNair's and Kazmi's movements in
(19:28):
the days leading up to theirdeaths with incredible precision.
They analyzed text messages,interviewed restaurant staff where
the couple had been seen, andeven reconstructed timeline details
from gas station security cameras.
Remember, this was 2009,before many of the technological
(19:49):
advances we take for grantedin investigations today.
They concluded that Kazemishot McNair while he was sleeping
on the couch, then took herown life.
The evidence supported this conclusion.
Gunshot residue was found onKazemi's left hand and the gun was
found under her body in a wayconsistent with it falling after
(20:11):
she shot herself.
Fangirls, I know some of youknow this story and are waiting to
hear about Vincent Hill.
And his theories.
Hill has written two books onMcNair, claimed a police conspiracy
and raised the following great questions.
Why did Neely not notice thebodies were dead when he entered
the condo?
Why did he call Gatti insteadof 91 1?
(20:31):
Did the $13,000 disputebetween McNair and Gatti have anything
to do with the murder?
What about the felon Gilliamthat Jenny bought the gun from, his
lies to the police?
And the 203 calls and textsbetween the two of them?
What do we think, fangirls?
The police got it right.
Why was Jenny calling andtexting a felon?
She was building up afriendship so she could ask for a
(20:53):
gun.
She knew about the other womenand knew her time with McNair was
approaching an end.
What about the $13,000 dispute?
It was a bump in the roadbetween college friends.
Mc McNair was worth millionsand was generous with his friends.
How about Gatti and Neely?
Neely was likely hungover ordrunk and probably did not notice.
(21:15):
Gatti delayed calling thepolice to be protective of Steve.
Maybe it was strangers in thecondo that Steve had something to
do with.
So he waited.
Sometimes crime girls, thesimple solution is the right one.
The case has recently gottennew attention because of Netflix's
untold documentary series.
(21:36):
And even McNair's former coachJeff Fisher admits there are things
that don't quite add up.
But you know what he says?
Just let it go.
Let it go.
And maybe that's the hardestpart of this whole story.
Knowing that some questionswill never be completely answered.
This case changed Nashville.
It changed how the city dealswith celebrity deaths, how the police
(21:59):
handle high profileinvestigations, how the media covers
personal tragedy.
It's still affecting people today.
And I think that's what makesit such a powerful story.
It's not just about whathappened on July 4, 2009.
It's about everything thatcame after and how one tragic event
can ripple through a communityfor years to come.
(22:21):
Fangirls, I need to take amoment to talk about the bigger picture
here.
Because this case isn't justabout a murder suicide or football
star's tragic end.
It's about human beings caughtin circumstances that spiraled beyond
their control.
When I look at this case, Isee Steve McNair not just as a football
(22:41):
legend, but as someone's son,someone's father, someone's friend.
A man who rose from that smalltown in Mississippi to achieve incredible
things, who gave back to hiscommunity, who made mistakes, but
also touched countless lives.
His legacy isn't just abouthow he died.
It's about the kids hementored in Greenville, the fans
(23:02):
he inspired, the barriers hebroke as a black quarterback from
an hbcu.
And I see Jenny not just asthe other woman or the person who
ended this story, but as a 20year old trying to find her way in
the world.
Someone's daughter who came toAmerica with dreams, who worked hard,
who got caught up in somethingbigger than herself.
(23:23):
Her story reminds us howquickly things can unravel when mental
health struggles, financialpressure and relationship complications
collide.
The ripples from that July 4thcontinue today.
McNair's sons have each foundtheir own paths.
Tyler threw dance Trentthrough basketball, while Steve Jr
and Stephen O'Brien forgedtheir own ways forward.
(23:45):
Michelle McNair had to rebuilda life while protecting her children's
future.
The Nashville community had toreconcile the hero they thought they
knew with a more complicated reality.
The complexity of this caselies not just in the tragic events
of July 4, but in the broadercontext of celebrity culture, particularly
in a city like Nashville.
(24:06):
Here's something many peopleoutside Tennessee might not understand.
Nashville isn't just Music City.
It's a place where celebritiesand locals often coexist in surprisingly
intimate ways.
Stars regularly shop at thesame grocery stores as everyone else,
eat at local restaurants, andbecome part of the community fabric.
(24:26):
This created a unique dynamicwhere someone like McNair could feel
both incredibly public andsurprisingly private at the same
time.
If there's anything we canlearn from this tragedy, it's that
we never truly know whatbattles people are fighting.
Those text messages betweenMcNair and Kazemi in their final
(24:47):
days show two people reachingout, trying to connect, maybe not
saying everything they neededto say.
Fangirls, if you're strugglingwith relationships, with finances,
with mental health, pleasereach out for help.
The National Domestic Violencehotline is available 24.
(25:07):
7 at 1-800-799-SAFE.
There's also the NationalSuicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK,
which provides free andconfidential support for people in
distress.
If you're feeling trapped,overwhelmed, or like there's no way
out, I promise you there arepeople who want to help.
(25:31):
Stay safe, stay kind, andremember, behind every headline is
a human story that deserves tobe told with compassion and understanding.
This has been fangirl crime.
I'm your host, Judy, andremember, the truth is complicated,
but understanding starts with listening.
Hi crime fans.
I'm your host, Judy and you'relistening to fangirl Crime.
Today.
We're covering a case thatshook not just the NFL world, but
an entire city to its core.
This is the story of SteveMcNair, a beloved football star whose
life was cut tragically shortin a case that would leave Nashville
reeling and raise questionsabout fame, relationships and the
(00:27):
dark side of celebrity.
Be advised that this episodecontains discussions of domestic
violence, murder and suicide.
Please listen with care.
Today's story is not yourtypical one.
Usually we're telling youabout young women who fall victim
to predatory men.
But this case flips the script entirely.
(00:48):
This is a story about how a 20year old woman orchestrated the death
of one of the NFL's mostcelebrated quarterbacks.
Let me paint the picture for you.
It's 2009 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Steve McNair is living whatappears to be the perfect life.
He's a three time Pro bowlquarterback, beloved by fans, married
(01:10):
with four children and justretired from a 13 year NFL career
where he was known as Air McNair.
But beneath that perfectsurface lurked a devastating secret
that would ultimately lead tohis death.
On July 4, 2009, policeresponded to a condo in downtown
Nashville.
(01:31):
Inside, they found the bodiesof 36 year old Steve McNair and 20
year old Sahel Kazemi.
But here's where this storygets truly Sahel wasn't just another
victim.
She was both the perpetratorand a victim of her own actions.
She was a young waitress whohad become entangled in a relationship
with McNair, believing hewould leave his wife for her.
(01:55):
When that fantasy began tocrumble, she made a decision that
would shock the entire NFL community.
Chills.
If you're wondering how acelebrated NFL quarterback and a
20 year old waitress ended upin this tragic situation, stick around.
We're going to tell youeverything we know about the case
of Steve McNair where thevictim became the headline and the
(02:19):
perpetrator was someone no onewould have suspected.
Full disclosure.
As a football fan, this casehits particularly close to home.
Steve McNair wasn't just afootball player.
He went to a small college andstunned the NFL, bringing Tennessee
to their first super bowl andcreating a fan base in Nashville
after the Houston Oilersuprooted the team and moved there
(02:40):
in 1997.
But today we're going to lookbeyond the touchdown passes and the
glory days to uncover thecomplex and tragic story of his death.
At 1:35pm, a 911 dispatchergets this call about two bodies found
in a downtown condo.
But here's the thing, and thisdetail literally gave me chills when
(03:03):
I first read it.
The person who called 911wasn't even the person who found
them.
A man named Wayne Neely drivesup to a condominium in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Now, this isn't just any condo.
It belongs to former NFLquarterback Steve McNair.
And Wayne has a key becausethey're friends.
(03:24):
Here's where things get wild.
It's 12:40 in the afternoonwhen Wayne uses his key to enter
the condo.
And what he finds inside.
Fangirls, I literally cannotmake this up.
He sees two bodies, Oneslumped on the couch, another lying
on the floor near the firstperson's feet.
(03:44):
Now, you might be thinking,okay, but maybe they're just sleeping.
That's exactly what Waynethought at first.
But here's the thing thatmakes absolutely no sense.
There is blood everywhere,like, pools of it.
But somehow, Wayne doesn'tprocess this right away.
And what does he do next?
Fangirls, prepare yourselves,because this is bananas.
(04:06):
Instead of immediately calling911, Wayne goes to the kitchen and
drinks a beer.
Crazy right then, and I knowthis sounds completely unhinged,
he looks at the bodies again,finally notices all the blood.
And instead of calling thepolice, he leaves the scene and calls
McNair's friend, Robert Gatty.
When questioned later bypolice, Wayne claimed he was too
(04:29):
shocked to process what he was seeing.
But fangirls, I have so many questions.
Like who drinks a beer whenthey find two bodies?
Why leave the scene?
And most importantly, how doyou not notice pools of blood immediately?
Remember, if you're ever in asituation where you discover something
suspicious, call the police.
Don't drink a beer.
(04:49):
Don't leave the scene.
Don't call a friend first,fangirls, what happens next just
blows my mind.
Robert Gatty races over to thecondo and goes inside with Wayne.
And let me tell you, Gattyknows immediately what they're dealing
with.
These aren't people sleeping.
This isn't some misunderstanding.
He recognizes one of thebodies as his friend Steve McNair.
(05:12):
But here's where I'mabsolutely losing it.
Instead of calling 911 rightthen and there, they both leave the
scene.
Finally, finally, Gatty makesthe call to police.
When law enforcement arrivesat 1:39 in the afternoon, what they
find is absolutely devastating.
There on the Sofa is SteveMcNair, a legend, one of the NFL's
(05:35):
most celebrated quarterbacks,with not one, not two, but four gunshot
wounds.
Two to his body.
Two to his head.
And fangirls, this next partgives me full body chills.
Lying on the floor nearSteve's body is 20 year old Sahel
Kazemi, who, who everyone knewas Jenny.
She has a single gunshot woundto her head.
(05:58):
And underneath her body,police find a 9 millimeter pistol.
Let that sink in.
Two bodies, five gunshotwounds, one weapon, and so many questions
about what happened in thosefinal moments.
But to understand how we gothere, we need to go back.
Let me tell you about SteveMcNair, because his story is absolutely
(06:20):
incredible.
Picture this small town calledMount Olive, Mississippi.
Steve is one of five kids in afamily where money is tight.
Steve would often do farmchores before going to school and
resume then after he got back.
But that did not hold Steve back.
Hard work was not a problem.
He lettered in four sports inhigh school and was even drafted
(06:43):
by the Seattle Marinersbaseball team after graduating high
school.
But football was his destiny.
He turned down a scholarshipto the University of Florida to attend
Alcorn state.
That's where McNair's fame grew.
He becomes this absolutesensation at Alcorn State University.
Now, if you're not a footballfan, let me explain why this is such
(07:06):
a big deal.
Alcorn State is what's calledan hbcu, a historically black college,
and it's way smaller than thebig football powerhouses.
But McNair, he balls out sohard that he comes in third for the
Heisman Trophy.
This is literally unheard offor a player from a small school.
(07:27):
Like it hadn't happened beforeand it hasn't happened since.
He gets drafted third overallby the Houston Oilers in 1995.
And, y'all, this is where hislegend really begins.
The team moves to Tennessee,becomes the Titans, and McNair becomes
this absolute superstar.
We're talking Super bowlappearance, three Pro Bowls, the
(07:50):
works.
He was so important to thefranchise that they retired his number
nine jersey.
Fangirls, we need to talkabout who Steve McNair was beyond
the headlines.
Because this part of thestory, it's going to break your heart.
In Nashville, Steve wasn'tjust some NFL player passing through.
(08:11):
He became part of the city's soul.
Picture this.
You're walking down the streetin Nashville and there's Steve McNair
just stopping to chat withfans and sign autographs like it's
no big deal.
Because to him, it wasn't.
This was his home.
And fangirls, when I tell youhe was involved in the community,
(08:32):
he went all in.
He's running this youthFootball camp, helping kids chase
their dreams.
When Hurricane Katrina hits,he's there helping with disaster
relief.
He even opens this restaurantcalled Steve McNair's Gridiron 9.
That becomes the place to bein Nashville.
Now let's talk about hisfamily life, because this is important.
(08:55):
Steve marries his collegesweetheart, Michelle, and they have
two beautiful boys together,Tyler and Trenton.
He also has two sons fromprevious relationships, Steve Jr.
And Stephen O'Brien.
And every single person whoknew him said the same thing.
This man was a devoted father.
But here's what makes thisstory so powerful.
(09:19):
Steve McNair grew up inpoverty, and he didn't just make
it out, he thrived.
He becomes this incrediblesports star.
But more than that, he becomesa leader in his community.
He was living proof that theAmerican dream could be real.
Let that sink in.
A man who had everything.
Family, success, respect,community, love.
(09:40):
And fangirls.
Knowing how this story ends,it just makes everything we're about
to tell you that much more tragic.
But as we know, in true crime,public Personas don't always tell
the whole story.
Let me tell you about thefinal chapter of Steve McNair's NFL
career.
Because what happens nextchanges everything.
Steve had hung up his cleatsand was trying to figure out what
(10:04):
life looked like after football.
And this part, this is wherethings start getting complicated.
That picture perfect marriageto Michelle, it wasn't so perfect
anymore.
Divorce was looming on the horizon.
And that downtown condo hehad, fangirls, it wasn't just some
innocent crash pad for latenights at his restaurant.
(10:26):
This condo becomes the spacewhere Steve is entertaining other
women.
And then In December of 2008,something happens that will ultimately
lead us to that tragic July morning.
Steve McNair walks into a Daveand Buster's and meets a young woman
named Sahel Kazemi.
(10:46):
Now, fangirls, everyone calledher Jenny.
And I need you to rememberthat name.
Because what unfolds betweenthese two people over the next seven
months, the details of theirrelationship, they become absolutely
crucial to understandingeverything that happens next.
We're talking about arelationship that starts in an arcade
and ends in tragedy.
(11:07):
And every single detail, everydecision, every moment between them,
it all matters.
Kazemi's story is equallyimportant to understand.
Born in Iran, she and herfamily fled to Turkey when she was
nine years old, eventuallymaking their way to the United States
as refugees.
By the time she was 20, Kazemiwas working as a server at Dave and
(11:31):
Buster's in Nashville.
Steve McNair is a regularthere and it's where he first crosses
paths with Sahel, JennyKazemi, and fangirls.
The word is that Jenny wasabsolutely smitten from the moment
she saw him.
I mean, can you blame her?
We're talking about an NFL superstar.
But here's where things get complicated.
(11:53):
Despite Steve being marriedand their 23 year age gap, I'll say
that again.
23 years, they start dating.
And when I say dating, I mean dating.
We're talking full on romanticgetaways to the beach, fancy dinners
out, trips to party cities,the works.
They're not exactly trying tokeep things under wraps.
(12:16):
Not now.
Here's something that's goingto be super important later.
Jenny is telling her friendsthat Steve is in the process of getting
divorced.
But fangirls, this is where weneed to pause.
Because this detail, thismight not have actually been true.
And I cannot stress enough howcrucial this misconception becomes
(12:37):
to our story.
Let that sink in.
A young woman in lovebelieving she's building a future
with someone who might nothave been as available as she thought.
Or we need to talk about thered flags that started appearing
in the months before thistragedy unfolded, because they are
everything.
(12:57):
Let me paint this picture for you.
Jenny's life is starting tounravel, both financially and emotionally.
And when I tell you the stressshe was under.
First, let's break down thefinancial nightmare she's dealing
with.
Her roommate just moved out,leaving her stuck with an extra thousand
dollars in rent every single month.
(13:17):
But that's not all.
She's also juggling paymentson not one, but two vehicles.
There's this Kia that a friendwas supposed to take over the payments
for but didn't.
And she's making payments on aCadillac Escalade that she co owns
with Steve.
But y'all, the emotionalturmoil, that's where this story
takes an even darker turn.
(13:37):
According to Emily Andrews,Jenny's former roommate, Jenny and
Steve had been talking about marriage.
She thought they were buildingthis future together.
This whole life she hadplanned out in her head.
But then.
And this detail makes mystomach drop.
Jenny finds something inSteve's condo that changes everything.
(13:58):
We're talking tampons and usedcondoms in the trash can.
Let that sink in.
Evidence that Steve might beseeing other women, shattering this
perfect future she thought shewas going to have.
Fangirls.
When someone's world startscrumbling both financially and emotionally
like this, that's when peoplecan start making decisions from a
(14:19):
place of desperation.
The events of July 2, 2009,just 48 hours before the tragedy
are about to show us just howcomplicated this situation had become.
Jenny is driving with SteveMcNair in the passenger seat when
she gets pulled over andarrested for dui.
(14:40):
Steve isn't charged at allbecause police say he had no idea
she was intoxicated.
But fangirls, what happensnext is going to make your blood
boil.
Instead of staying to supportJenny through this crisis, Steve
McNair takes a taxi from the scene.
And yes, he does arrange forher bail bond.
(15:00):
But this next part, he leavesJenny to deal with the aftermath
of her arrest alone while hegoes to spend the night at another
woman's apartment.
Let me say that again.
While Jenny is dealing withthe consequences of a DUI arrest,
the man she believes isplanning a future with her is sleeping
at another woman's place.
And can we talk about thosetext messages between them?
(15:23):
Because they are absolutelyheartbreaking when you read them.
Now.
On July 3rd, just hours beforeeverything went down, Jenny texts
McNairy, Baby, I might have a breakdown.
I am so stressed.
Then later, baby, I need topay the cell phone bills.
And the hospital, can youtransfer 2000 to my account?
(15:45):
McNair responds that he'sgetting someone to transfer the money.
But, y'all, you can feel thedesperation building in these messages.
And it gets worse.
Then later on July 3rd, Jennydoes something that changes everything.
She buys a 9 millimeterhandgun from this guy named Adrian
Gilliam.
Now, this detail becomes superimportant later because Gilliam was
(16:08):
actually a convicted felon on parole.
And the story of how Jenny gotthe gun becomes this whole other
controversy.
Now let's talk about July 4, 2009.
We already know about Neelyeventually finding the bodies after
first seeing them and drinkinga beer.
We also know about Gatti beingcalled by Neely coming by the condo
(16:31):
and finally calling 91 1.
The police investigation wasled by Detective Charles Robinson,
his first major case.
And fangirls, what a case it was.
The crime scene told ahorrific story.
McNair was on the couch, shottwice in the head and twice in the
chest.
Jenny was lying face down onthe floor beside him with a single
(16:52):
gunshot wound to her head.
A 9 millimeter pistol wasfound underneath her body.
The positions of the bodiesled Robinson to conclude Jenny had
meant to fall in McNair's lapafter shooting herself, but instead
slid down to the.
The investigation thatfollowed would reveal the tragic
sequence of events that led totheir deaths.
And I have to tell you, crimefans, this is where the story becomes
(17:15):
particularly heartbreaking.
And one where our hero's Storytook a turn none of us could have
anticipated.
Through extensive police workand interviews with witnesses, investigators
pieced together the final daysof both McNair and Jenny.
On July 3, just hours beforethe murders, Kazemi had purchased
(17:38):
the 9 millimeter pistol fromGilliam in the parking lot of Dave
and Busters.
The transaction was legalunder Tennessee law at the time,
though it would later sparkdiscussions about private gun sales.
Cell phone records showed thatin the early morning hours of July
4, Kazemi texted McNair,saying she was so stressed and needed
(18:00):
to talk.
McNair replied that he wouldcome over after dropping a friend
off at home.
Surveillance footage showedMcNair arriving at the condo around
1:30am the investigationrevealed that Kazemi had become increasingly
desperate in the days leadingup to the murder suicide.
She was struggling financiallydespite McNair's help with her bills.
(18:22):
She had maxed out her creditcards and was making payments on
two cars.
The one McNair had bought withher and another she had co signed
for with her former boyfriend.
Friends reported that shesuspected McNair was seeing other
women and she had followed himto another condo where she believed
he was meeting someone else.
But here's what's fascinatingabout how Nashville police handled
(18:45):
this.
They were under intensepressure to solve this case quickly.
We're talking national mediaattention, sports networks camping
out in Nashville, and thiswhole city holding its breath.
The Titans training facilitywas getting bombarded with media
requests.
Local sports bars where McNairused to hang out were being swarmed
(19:05):
by reporters.
The investigation had to lookinto every angle.
They subpoenaed phone records,interviewed dozens of witnesses,
and had to piece together thisincredibly complex timeline.
They talked to everyone fromKazemi's co workers at Dave and Buster's
to the guy who sold her the gun.
The investigators mapped outMcNair's and Kazmi's movements in
(19:28):
the days leading up to theirdeaths with incredible precision.
They analyzed text messages,interviewed restaurant staff where
the couple had been seen, andeven reconstructed timeline details
from gas station security cameras.
Remember, this was 2009,before many of the technological
(19:49):
advances we take for grantedin investigations today.
They concluded that Kazemishot McNair while he was sleeping
on the couch, then took herown life.
The evidence supported this conclusion.
Gunshot residue was found onKazemi's left hand and the gun was
found under her body in a wayconsistent with it falling after
(20:11):
she shot herself.
Fangirls, I know some of youknow this story and are waiting to
hear about Vincent Hill.
And his theories.
Hill has written two books onMcNair, claimed a police conspiracy
and raised the following great questions.
Why did Neely not notice thebodies were dead when he entered
the condo?
Why did he call Gatti insteadof 91 1?
(20:31):
Did the $13,000 disputebetween McNair and Gatti have anything
to do with the murder?
What about the felon Gilliamthat Jenny bought the gun from, his
lies to the police?
And the 203 calls and textsbetween the two of them?
What do we think, fangirls?
The police got it right.
Why was Jenny calling andtexting a felon?
She was building up afriendship so she could ask for a
(20:53):
gun.
She knew about the other womenand knew her time with McNair was
approaching an end.
What about the $13,000 dispute?
It was a bump in the roadbetween college friends.
Mc McNair was worth millionsand was generous with his friends.
How about Gatti and Neely?
Neely was likely hungover ordrunk and probably did not notice.
(21:15):
Gatti delayed calling thepolice to be protective of Steve.
Maybe it was strangers in thecondo that Steve had something to
do with.
So he waited.
Sometimes crime girls, thesimple solution is the right one.
The case has recently gottennew attention because of Netflix's
untold documentary series.
(21:36):
And even McNair's former coachJeff Fisher admits there are things
that don't quite add up.
But you know what he says?
Just let it go.
Let it go.
And maybe that's the hardestpart of this whole story.
Knowing that some questionswill never be completely answered.
This case changed Nashville.
It changed how the city dealswith celebrity deaths, how the police
(21:59):
handle high profileinvestigations, how the media covers
personal tragedy.
It's still affecting people today.
And I think that's what makesit such a powerful story.
It's not just about whathappened on July 4, 2009.
It's about everything thatcame after and how one tragic event
can ripple through a communityfor years to come.
(22:21):
Fangirls, I need to take amoment to talk about the bigger picture
here.
Because this case isn't justabout a murder suicide or football
star's tragic end.
It's about human beings caughtin circumstances that spiraled beyond
their control.
When I look at this case, Isee Steve McNair not just as a football
(22:41):
legend, but as someone's son,someone's father, someone's friend.
A man who rose from that smalltown in Mississippi to achieve incredible
things, who gave back to hiscommunity, who made mistakes, but
also touched countless lives.
His legacy isn't just abouthow he died.
It's about the kids hementored in Greenville, the fans
(23:02):
he inspired, the barriers hebroke as a black quarterback from
an hbcu.
And I see Jenny not just asthe other woman or the person who
ended this story, but as a 20year old trying to find her way in
the world.
Someone's daughter who came toAmerica with dreams, who worked hard,
who got caught up in somethingbigger than herself.
(23:23):
Her story reminds us howquickly things can unravel when mental
health struggles, financialpressure and relationship complications
collide.
The ripples from that July 4thcontinue today.
McNair's sons have each foundtheir own paths.
Tyler threw dance Trentthrough basketball, while Steve Jr
and Stephen O'Brien forgedtheir own ways forward.
(23:45):
Michelle McNair had to rebuilda life while protecting her children's
future.
The Nashville community had toreconcile the hero they thought they
knew with a more complicated reality.
The complexity of this caselies not just in the tragic events
of July 4, but in the broadercontext of celebrity culture, particularly
in a city like Nashville.
(24:06):
Here's something many peopleoutside Tennessee might not understand.
Nashville isn't just Music City.
It's a place where celebritiesand locals often coexist in surprisingly
intimate ways.
Stars regularly shop at thesame grocery stores as everyone else,
eat at local restaurants, andbecome part of the community fabric.
(24:26):
This created a unique dynamicwhere someone like McNair could feel
both incredibly public andsurprisingly private at the same
time.
If there's anything we canlearn from this tragedy, it's that
we never truly know whatbattles people are fighting.
Those text messages betweenMcNair and Kazemi in their final
(24:47):
days show two people reachingout, trying to connect, maybe not
saying everything they neededto say.
Fangirls, if you're strugglingwith relationships, with finances,
with mental health, pleasereach out for help.
The National Domestic Violencehotline is available 24.
(25:07):
7 at 1-800-799-SAFE.
There's also the NationalSuicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK,
which provides free andconfidential support for people in
distress.
If you're feeling trapped,overwhelmed, or like there's no way
out, I promise you there arepeople who want to help.
(25:31):
Stay safe, stay kind, andremember, behind every headline is
a human story that deserves tobe told with compassion and understanding.
This has been fangirl crime.
I'm your host, Judy, andremember, the truth is complicated,
but understanding starts with listening.
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