NFL prospect La'el Collins to be questioned in woman's death
BATON ROUGE - Police say NFL prospect La'el Collins was romantically involved with a pregnant woman who was shot to death on Friday night, and investigators want to talk to him about what he might know.
Collins, who played four seasons for Louisiana State University, is not being called a suspect in the case, reports CBS affiliate WWL.
The 21-year-old is in Chicago this week for the NFL Draft, where he is expected to be selected early in the first round on Thursday night. He played four seasons at offensive tackle and guard in college.
Brittany Mills, 29, was shot in her apartment in Baton Rouge at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, but her baby was delivered in an area hospital after she was rushed there that night.
"We're not calling Mr. Collins a suspect, but we want to interview him because he had a relationship with Brittany Mills," Baton Rouge Police public information officer Jonny Dunnam told Gannett Louisiana on Tuesday. "We always try to contact as many people as we can who knew a victim for any information they may have and so that we can rule them out as possible suspects."
Police are also interested in the results of a pregnancy test that could identify Collins as the father, Dunnam said.
In the meantime, Collins has hired prominent Baton Rouge criminal defense attorney Jim Boren, who is not a sports agent. He has specialized in murder cases. Baton Rouge Police have been in contact with Boren since Sunday.
"We have identified where La'el was the day the lady was murdered to establish he was nowhere around," Boren told ESPN Tuesday. "We have offered to give names, witnesses who can vouch for his whereabouts that day until after the woman's body was discovered. We believe that when police have verified that information, they will rule him out as a suspect in the homicide."
Dunnam said Baton Rouge Police "are working on a time frame" to interview Collins. "With the draft on Thursday, I'm not sure when they will be able to talk to him," he said.
Baton Rouge Police said neighbors of Mills heard multiple gunshots between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Friday. Police found the door to Mills' apartment open and Mills bleeding from her torso, Dunnam said.