BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
Early Monday morning, Tampa Police discovered a young man in a car with a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:43 a.m.
According to police, officers discovered 25-year-old Orenthal James (O. J.) Murdock in a car at 2502 E. Wilder Avenue, at approximately 8:30 a.m. The car was parked across the street from the Middleton High School football field. Murdock was admitted to Tampa General Hospital in critical condition.
A spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said the department is investigating the death as an apparent suicide. However, an autopsy report will determine the official cause of death.
A Tampa native, Murdock attended the public schools of Hillsborough County. He began at Hillsborough High School, but graduated from Middleton High School in 2005.
During his high school career, Murdock caught 57 passes for 927 yards and 11 touchdowns. As a track star, he was fourth in the state in the 100 and 200-meter races and was a national champion sprinter at the age of 14.
Following graduation, Murdock played for the University of South Carolina and Pearl River Community College. He continued his education at Fort Hays State, where he had 95 receptions for 1,987 yards and 20 touchdowns in 21 games.
While at Fort Hays State, Murdock also set a MIAA career record with an average of 20.9 yards-per-catch. He was also a two-time MIAA second team selection. Murdock also set single season records of 1,290 receiving yards, and for yards per catch (21.5) … recorded school’s second highest receiving touchdown total in a single season.
Last year, Murdock was an undrafted free agent. He signed with the Tennessee Titans on July 28, 2011. However, he remained on the injured reserve list with a right Achilles injury for the entire season and didn’t play during the 2011 season.
Murdock didn’t attend training camp this past weekend because of a personal issue.
The Tennessee Titans released the following statement: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of O. J. Murdock’s death this morning. In his brief time here, a number of our players, coaches, and staff had grown close to O. J. and this is a difficult time for them.
“He spent last year battling back from an Achilles injury as he prepared for this year’s training camp. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they try to cope with this tragedy.”
Funeral services for Murdock were incomplete at press time.
