Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s documentary ‘Untold: The Murder of Air McNair’ offers insights into the murder of Steve “Air” McNair, the celebrated quarterback who led the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl XXXIV. As the non-feature film reveals, McNair’s 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi, obtained the murder weapon, a gun, from Adrian Gilliam. After the initial interrogation, it was proven that he lied to the investigators, leading the authorities back to him. Still, the Metropolitan Nashville PD concluded that his involvement in the deaths of the former football player and his partner, who eventually killed herself, started and ended with the sale of the gun!
Adrian Gilliam Knew Jenni Kazemi For Weeks Before Steve McNair’s Death
Adrian Gilliam became part of the investigation after the authorities tracked the gun that was found at the crime scene. During the initial interrogation, he told the officers he didn’t know the person who bought the gun by name, but he was able to identify her through a photograph. Gilliam provided more clarity regarding his relationship with Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi by adding that he didn’t speak the truth during the previous meeting because he was with his fiancée, with whom he has a daughter. The police discovered that he had a “desired relationship” with Jenni, which began when she tried to sell a car with his help.
After the initial meeting, Gilliam said he and Jenni remained in touch through phone calls and text messages. He had also been to her apartment once. Meanwhile, he bought a gun to protect his family after a burglary in his home, a claim that was supported by a 2007 burglary report. A few days before Steve McNair’s murder, Jenni asked him whether he could sell her a gun. According to Gilliam’s responses to the police, “she talked about some prowlers being in the area” while asking for the weapon. Due to his financial difficulties, Gilliam sold the gun for $100.
Even though Jenni asked him whether he could bring the gun to her apartment, Gilliam declined, paving the way for a meeting outside the Dave & Buster’s restaurant at Opry Mills, where she worked at the time. He also gave her instructions about how to use the gun. The police eventually discovered that Jenni and Gilliam had been in touch through more than 200 calls and text messages. “The messages that he [Gilliam] sent to her [Jenni] clearly indicate he wants to be around her. He was pursuing her,” Metropolitan Nashville PD spokesperson Don Aaron said about their relationship, as per CBS News.
Adrian Gilliam Was Sentenced to Prison For Selling Jenni a Gun
When the real nature of Adrian Gilliam and Jenni Kazemi’s relationship was brought to light, suspicions started to arise regarding his involvement in her and Steve McNair’s deaths. The Metropolitan Nashville PD made it clear that the authorities stand by their conclusion that the girlfriend killed the former football player, and later took her own life. “While more detail and background have been learned since July, the totality of the evidence, records, and interviews to this point does not in any way alter the murder-suicide conclusion,” Don Aaron said about the investigation. However, Gilliam was arrested for selling the gun by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in 2009.
In 1993, Gilliam was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery in Florida. A convicted felon possessing a firearm is a felony, paving the way for his arrest. Even though he admitted to selling Jenni 9 mm Bryco/Jennings, he pleaded not guilty during the trial in 2009. Gilliam’s attorney, Hugh Mundy, said that he was released from prison seven years ago, during which he didn’t break any law other than the felony charge. “Steve McNair was one of Nashville’s heroes. A lot of lives have already been ruined. But Mr. Gilliam is a decent, hardworking family man, and there’s no reason to ruin his life too,” added Mundy.
Gilliam’s father, Adrian Gilliam Sr., told the Associated Press that his son had been “keeping straight” since his release from prison and “taking care of his family.” In December 2009, Gilliam was sentenced to two and a half years (30 months) in prison. “My heart goes out to the families of the victims. I have learned a lot of lessons,” he said during a hearing. “This very case illustrates why felons shouldn’t have guns. They wind up in the wrong place, and bad things happen,” then-US District Court Judge Todd Campbell said about the case.
Adrian Gilliam Leads a Private Life With His Family Today
Adrian Gilliam was reportedly released from prison in 2011. Since then, he has been leading a private life away from the spotlight with his family. He seemingly continues to work at a car dealership in Nashville, Tennessee, as a training manager. Gilliam is an avid supporter of his son, who plays 9U football as a quarterback. He also hangs out with his extended family. He is a believer who encourages his followers to “walk with God” as well. While he was in prison, a private investigator named Vincent Hill filed a complaint to reopen the murder investigation of Steve McNair. According to him, who is also a former Metro Nashville cop, Jenni Kazemi did not have any intention of meeting the footballer, and she did not kill him.
Hill suspects that Gilliam was directly involved in the murder. “The only person to have that gun was Gilliam; his alibi was contradicted [but] he was cleared as a murder suspect,” he told The Tennessean, citing the convicted felon’s alibi, which was proven to be incorrect. “The fact is, to this day, the only person that has had that gun in their possession until July 4th is Adrian Gilliam. […] Here’s a guy, Adrian Gilliam, who’s got a few robbery charges. His gun ends up at the crime scene. You know, this whole thing is more than a coincidence,” Hill said while appearing on ‘Dateline: The Mysterious Death of a Titan,’ stressing the possibility of the gun sale between Gilliam and Jenni never happening.
Despite Hill’s efforts, the case was never reopened to investigate Gilliam’s alleged direct involvement in the murder the police previously didn’t know about. It also appears that he had moved on from the case for good, as he declined an interview request to appear on ‘Untold: The Murder of Air McNair.’ His current whereabouts and activities make it clear that he is seemingly leading a life away from the limelight and legal troubles with his loved ones.
Read More: Where Are Steve McNair’s Wife and Kids Now?
