A former NFL defensive lineman was found dead Wednesday morning at a homeless encampment in Los Angeles, prompting police to launch a search for his killer.
Kevin Johnson, 55, who once played for the Philadelphia Eagles, was discovered at an encampment in the Willowbrook area after sheriff’s deputies responded just before 8 a.m. to a report of an unconscious man in the 1300 block of East 120th Street, officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Los Angeles native, Johnson played in the NFL from 1995 to 1997 with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders.
Friends said Johnson struggled with health issues later in life that ultimately led to him living on the streets, but they described him as a generous and beloved figure who continued to make an impact on those around him, according to WPVI.
His friends told the broadcaster that his health problems might have been as a result of CTE.
Johnson’s cause of death was listed as “blunt head trauma” and “stab wounds,” and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Investigators believe Johnson had been living at the encampment and are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information to come forward.
