Former baseball player Darryl Hamilton dead in murder suicide
Darryl Hamilton, a 13-year veteran of the MLB, center fielder and member of the New York Mets team that reached the 2000 World Series, was killed in a murder-suicide in a suburban Houston home, authorities said Monday.
The police investigation has revealed that Hamilton was shot several times by Monica Jordan, 44, who was also found dead at the scene from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. Pearland Police Lt. Patrick Savage said offered details of the case and confirmed that Hamilton and Jordan’s 14-month-old child was found unharmed at the home and turned over to Child Protective Services.
Hamilton, who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, played for five teams over 13 seasons in the majors before retiring in 2001. He reached the postseason in four of his final five seasons.
Hamilton was 50.
“All of us at Major League Baseball are shocked and saddened by this tragedy,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He was a talented and personable individual, and we were proud to call him a member of the baseball family. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest sympathies to Darryl’s family and his many friends throughout our game.”
The Mets mourned the loss and said they planned to hold a moment of silence before their next home game, which is Friday night, to honor both Hamilton and Nelson Doubleday Jr., their former owner who died last week at the age of 81.
The Rangers praised Hamilton and singled out his “memorable” year in Texas.
“He was not only an offensive catalyst and defensive standout on the field but also was a club leader and an outstanding teammate,” said the team, which planned a moment of silence before Tuesday night’s home game against Oakland.
Hamilton never played for the Houston Astros, but the team said he was a strong supporter of their youth baseball efforts. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said the team was stunned by the tragedy, “something that is impossible for us to even begin to comprehend.”
“Darryl was a wonderful player for our organization, but more importantly, he was a true gentleman and a great friend to many here,” said Melvin, who was with Texas during Hamilton’s season with the Rangers.