Tragic news out of the world of professional football has come about as former NFL defensive lineman Barry Bennett was found dead on Wednesday. Calls to Bennett’s home in Long Prairie, Minnesota, went unanswered which led to someone going to check on the house. After arriving there, Bennett and his wife, Carol, were both found dead and police are now searching for the 22-year-old son of the couple as they feel he may be connected to their deaths.
People reported that the Bennetts, both 63-years-old, were found fatally shot in their rural Minnesota home at 4:32 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. Todd County Sheriff’s Office has not revealed a lot of details regarding their deaths, but Dylan John Bennett is considered a suspect and there has been an arrest warrant issued on him.
Police have already located the vehicle that Dylan was driving.
When calls to the home went unanswered, a friend of the Bennetts went to check on the couple and discovered their bodies. Barry Bennett was found in one part of the home and Carol Bennett was found in a separate part of the home.
Police did release a statement saying that “there is no threat to public safety at this time,” but they have released very few other details. More information was expected to come out sometime on Friday as stated by Chief Deputy Lonnie Marcyes.
Former NFL defensive lineman Barry Bennett and his wife are found dead in Minnesota; their son reportedly is a suspect https://t.co/dLzWdjYZeS
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 23, 2019
Barry Bennett had a good collegiate career at Division III Concordia College in Minnesota before being selected in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints and played for them for four seasons before spending the next seven with the New York Jets.
Bennett did play one game with his hometown Minnesota Vikings in 1988 before retiring from the NFL. After his retirement, Bennett went on to become a physical education teacher, but he has since retired from that profession.
Long Prairie Superintendent Jon Kringen said that the former NFL star rarely ever spoke of his playing career unless someone asked him about it.
We are saddened by the tragic loss of former Vikings player Barry Bennett and his wife, Carol. Our thoughts are with their friends and family during this difficult time.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 23, 2019
ESPN is reporting that not only was Dylan Bennett’s car at the scene, but it also contained an empty box for a 9 mm handgun. There was also ammunition for that weapon in the vehicle. Transactions have been traced by authorities that suggest Dylan flew to Mexico after the deaths of his parents.
The arrest warrant issued for Dylan suggests that his father made a report back in December which detailed part of the younger Bennett’s time in a mental health facility. During that time, Dylan allegedly expressed thoughts of killing his parents.
