CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Monday marked 20 years since former Panthers running back Fred Lane was shot and killed by his wife in Charlotte.
Authorities said Lane’s wife, Deidra Lane, shot him as he walked through the door on July 6, 2000. She then shot him a second time in the back of the head.
News outlets reported Deidra Lane told the 911 operator, “He just got shot because he wouldn’t leave me alone. I kept telling him to stop.”
Deidra Lane pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2003, three years after Fred Lane’s death. She was sentenced to seven years and 11 months in prison. She was released after serving nearly six years.
Fred Lane played with the Panthers from 1997 to 2000 before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts. The 24-year-old running back is the Panthers’ fifth-leading all-time rusher, finishing with 2,001 yards.
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