Former NFL player Sergio Brown is reported missing as his mother was found dead via homicide near a creek behind her suburban Chicago home.
The Maywood Police Department said family members reported that they could not locate or make contact with the 35-year-old footballer or his 73-year-old mother Myrtle Brown.
Upon conducting a wellness check on Saturday, police discovered Myrtle Brown unresponsive. Her body was transferred to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, which ruled her death a homicide based on injuries related to an assault.
Police said they are still attempting to locate Sergio Brown.
Myrtle Brown's neighbor Carlos Cortez recalled to local station WBBM that family members had knocked on his door looking for her.
The family said Sergio Brown had been acting strangely over the past few months, Cortez said.
The neighbor had last seen the mother and son on Thursday, but said police found unusual Ring doorbell camera footage.
"They see him taking out the trash, and they see him have a bonfire, where he burnt all her clothes," Cortez said.
He remembered Myrtle Brown as a wonderful person.
"Myrtle, she was an outstanding woman, and I'm hoping she's in the right place and she's with God," said Cortez. "I never would've expected this in a million years."
Police are investigating the homicide as they continue the search for her son.
The Maywood Police Department is asking that anyone with information on the incident or Sergio Brown's whereabouts contact Dennis Diaz of the Investigations unit at (708) 368-4131, the department's anonymous tip line at (708) 450-1787, or their local police station.
Sergio Brown played as a defensive back for various NFL teams between 2010 and 2016, including time with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
