Former Nebraska star Lawrence Phillips was found dead in prison early this morning at the age of 40. The death is being investigated as a potential suicide. It's a sad end to a tumultuous life spent spiraling out of control from football stardom to violence and criminality, and now death.Lawrence, who was already serving 31 years at Kern Valley State Prison in California for assaulting his former girlfriend and driving his car into three teenagers after a pickup football game, was suspected of killing his former cellmate, Damion Soward last September. He was facing murder charges and possibly the death penalty as a result.In March, before his cellmate was found dead, USA Today obtained a letter Phillips wrote from prison, in which he discussed his anger and frustration.
[USA Today]"I feel myself very close to snapping,'' wrote Phillips, the former star running back, in a letter dated March 5, 2015. "My anger grows daily as I have become fed up with prison. I feel my anger is near bursting and that will result in my death or the death of someone else.''