Former footballer Rashaun Jones arrested in 2006 killing of Bryan Pata

A FORMER University of Miami football player was arrested on Thursday in connection with the 2006 fatal shooting of Bryan Pata.

Rashaun Jones, 35, was arrested by Miami-Dade police in Marion County, Florida on a first-degree murder warrant.

Who was Bryan Pata?

Bryan Pata was a student and budding football star who was expected to be an early pick in the 2007 NFL draft following his fourth and final season with the Hurricanes.

Pata played three seasons at North Miami High School before moving on to Miami Central High School.

He was named to Super Prep's All-America team, and rated as the nation's 26th-best defensive lineman by that magazine.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also named him as one of the top 100 players in the South of the United States.

What was Bryan Pata's cause of death?

On November 7, 2006, 22-year-old Pata was returning from campus when he was shot in the back of the head and killed outside his home in Kendall, Florida.

Some witnesses claimed to hear arguing then gunshots with detectives investigating a host of people, including Mr. Pata’s ex-girlfriend, Jada Brody, and her twin brother.

But investigators learned that Mr Jones had been involved with Ms Brody The Miami Herald reports.

This led to a feud between Jones and Pata – who played three seasons with the Miami Hurricanes – for several months.

The two had experienced confrontations before the shooting, with 6'4" Pata – who was considerably larger than Mr. Jones – previously beating him in a fight.

Pata’s brother told investigators that Jones had threatened to shoot Pata two months before his death.

Despite urging from his brother, Pata never reported the threat.

 

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