Newly released body and dashboard camera footage from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) shows that the search for Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland involved a high-speed chase reaching up to 160 mph, K-9 units, and a drone sweep before he was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on November 6.
Kneeland, 24, died hours after DPS troopers attempted a traffic stop on the evening of November 5 in suburban Dallas. At the time, authorities did not know the driver was Kneeland and initially believed the Dodge Charger he was operating might have been stolen.
High-Speed Pursuit
According to a DPS offense report released Friday, a trooper began pursuing Kneeland at 10:33 p.m. as he drove northbound on the Dallas North Tollway. The trooper reported the vehicle exceeding 145 mph, while other troopers captured on video estimated speeds as high as 160 mph.
The Charger was later found at 10:42 p.m. after crashing into a Ford F-350 in Frisco. The vehicle came to rest in a grassy area near an office park with businesses, offices, and apartments.
A woman whose truck was struck appeared visibly shaken in the video.
“I saw him in my rearview mirror coming as fast as he was … then he just plowed into me,” she told officers.
Troopers said the Charger had been abandoned. An empty holster was recovered inside the vehicle, leading officers to believe the driver was armed.
Search Involving K-9 Teams, Tunnels, and Drone
Officers initially believed the car might have been stolen and did not know Kneeland was the suspect. A passerby told troopers he saw a man flee on foot through a nearby field, prompting a search across the surrounding office park.
By 11:20 p.m., DPS and Frisco police officers were searching wooded areas and a series of drainage tunnels.
“Frisco K-9. If you’re in this tunnel, I’m going to send my dog in here. He is going to bite you. This is your last opportunity,” an officer announced, according to the footage.
Officers deployed pepper balls into the tunnels and sent a drone into the confined spaces, but did not locate Kneeland.
Authorities Learn the Suspect’s Identity
By around 1 a.m., investigators had determined the driver was Kneeland. Officers briefly detained his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, who had arrived at the scene but initially did not disclose her connection to him.
An officer stated on camera that Mancera told them Kneeland had been sending farewell messages to family members and that she believed he intended to harm himself. Authorities later said she cooperated with officers as the search continued.
About 30 minutes later, Kneeland was found dead in a portable toilet near the search area.
Aftermath
In a Facebook post, Mancera wrote that she still feels as if Kneeland might walk through the door.
“My sweet boy is really gone … But now I have you to watch over me and wait for me on the other side,” she wrote.
The Dallas Cowboys have announced a memorial fund to support Mancera, who is pregnant with the couple’s child.