Tragedy struck the UCLA family twice within two days.
TMZ is reporting that ex-UCLA star Billy Knight apparently committed suicide on Sunday, July 9. The former basketball player recorded a YouTube video in which he said, “This is probably my last message on Earth.” He detailed his struggle with mental illness, saying, “I isolated myself from my family members. I isolated myself from my friends, and that’s not something you should do. If this happens, you probably have a mental illness. Mental illness is serious. I hear voices in my head constantly, and I don’t know where they come from. I just asked God for forgiveness for all the wrong I’ve done.” We are not linking to the video.
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TMZ reports, “Shortly after the video was posted, the Phoenix P.D. says officers found Knight’s body in a roadway in downtown Phoenix. Officers say, ‘No evidence of foul play was detected,’ but the body has been sent to the Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.” Knight was 39 years old.
In more sad news, Tyler Honeycutt, another UCLA basketball player, was found dead on Saturday, July 7. Honeycutt had a shootout with police at his home in Sherman Oaks, and The Los Angeles Daily News reports, “He reportedly barricaded himself after shots were exchanged, starting an 11-hour standoff. Initial reports had many to believe that Honeycutt was shot by police after he fired his gun at authorities. But a suicide is now being considered.”
Bort Escoto, his former high school coach who remained close to Honeycutt and his family, told The Los Angeles Daily News, “He’s been going through some things. He called me at around 4 p.m. (Friday), I planned on going to his house to talk, but his mom called me 45 minutes later saying, ‘He had a gun and was talking crazy.’ I told her to call 9-1-1.” He continued, “Recently, he’s been calling me and thanking me ‘for all I’ve done for him’. He has been acting very unusual lately, and our conversations would leave me concerned for him.”
Tyler Honeycutt was only 27 years old.
Our condolences go out to the friends and family of Billy Knight and Tyler Honeycutt.
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Former UCLA Star Billy Knight Dies In Apparent Suicide After Recording Heartbreaking YouTube Video was originally published on newsone.com
