Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
Volume 4 of Netflix’s UNTOLD: The Murder of Air McNair will look into NFL star Steve McNair’s death in an apparent murder-suicide committed by his girlfriend, Jenni Kazemi. The upcoming installment of the anthology documentary series will premiere on August 20, 2024. The streaming giant will then drop weekly episodes.
Steve “Air” McNair, former Tennessee Titans quarterback and NFL MVP, died in a murder-suicide on July 4, 2009. McNair’s then-girlfriend Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi fatally shot him multiple times before turning the gun on herself. Authorities concluded that Kazemi committed the crime over financial troubles and jealousy, suspecting McNair was seeing another woman.
Reportedly, Steve McNair’s cause of death was four gunshot wounds. He suffered two shots to the chest, one to the temple, and the last one to the right side of his head. The incident occurred in McNair’s condominium on Lea Avenue in Nashville. Meanwhile, Jenni Kazemi died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Authorities ruled their deaths a murder-suicide.
Who Killed Steve McNair & Jenni Kazemi?
According to NBC News and The Tennessean, on July 4, 2009, Steve “Air” McNair’s girlfriend, Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi, killed him in a murder-suicide. Kazemi shot him four times before turning the gun on herself in his Nashville condo. McNair was 36 years old at the time, while Kazemi was 20.
Despite being married, McNair was seeing Kazemi, who worked as a waitress at a Dave & Buster’s restaurant, for several months. He was also involved in other affairs, including one with a 25-year-old Leah Ignagni. Authorities believed Kazemi grew jealous after learning about McNair’s relationship with Ignagni, which prompted her to commit the crime. Additionally, investigators found messages in McNair’s phone records with numerous women.
People Magazine reported that investigators revealed that Steve McNair and Jenni Kazemi’s murder-suicide was the culmination of a 48-hour ordeal. Two days before the incident, authorities had arrested Kazemi for DUI. McNair, who was with her at the time of the arrest, later bailed her out.
On July 3, Kazemi had asked McNair for financial assistance and had also recently learned of the latter’s affair with Ignagni. Text messages proved that she told one of her co-workers, “My life is just s—, and I should end it!” that same day. Police also confirmed that earlier that day, Kazemi bought the 9mm firearm for $100. She later used the weapon to commit the apparent murder-suicide.
The outlet stated that on the day of the murders, Jenni Kazemi shot Steve McNair as he sat on the sofa in his condo. Authorities believe she shot him in the left side of his head first before shooting him twice in the chest. She then aimed at the right side of his head and fired the final shot. After this, Kazemi sat beside him and turned the weapon on herself. She fired one single shot to the right side of the head. The 20-year-old then collapsed and dropped the gun.
One of Steve McNair’s friends, Wayne Neely, was the first to discover the crime scene. Neely then called the former NFL star’s bodyguard Robert Gaddy, who called the authorities sometime after 1:30 p.m.
The Guardian stated that Steve McNair and Jenni Kazemi first met about six months before the murder-suicide. The meeting took place in the same restaurant where Kazemi worked as a waitress. After their first encounter, she gave McNair, who regularly dined at the restaurant, her number, and their affair began shortly after.
Authorities claim Kazemi had seen another woman—possibly Leah Ignagni—leaving McNair’s apartment. She had even stalked the woman but never confronted her. Investigators believe the jealousy and rage eventually got to her and prompted her to commit the murder-suicide. Nonetheless, suspicions still surround the case that their deaths were actually a double execution staged to appear like a suicide.
Netflix’s UNTOLD will further explore the deaths of Steve “Air” McNair and Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi on August 20, 2024.
