Ex-MLB player Hamilton fatally shot in apparent murder-suicide

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[June 23, 2015]  By Amanda Orr
 
 HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former Major League outfielder and baseball broadcast analyst Darryl Hamilton was fatally shot at a suburban Houston home where his estranged girlfriend was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said on Monday.

The bodies of Hamilton, 50, and Monica Jordan, 44, were found on Sunday and then taken to a medical examiner. The couple's 14-month-old infant was found unharmed at the home in Pearland owned by Jordan and was taken into the care of Texas Child Protective Services.

"Based on the initial investigation, it appeared as if Hamilton was the victim of several gunshots and that Jordan had a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Pearland Police said.

Hamilton’s body was found near the entry of the home with multiple gunshot wounds while Jordan’s body was found in another part of the home, police said.

"At this point it does not appear that there was any kind of struggle. The incident occurred just inside the front door," police Lieutenant Onesimo Lopez told reporters at the scene.

Jordan, who had been married previously, was found guilty in 2008 of arson for setting a fire at the home where she lived with her former husband, court documents showed.

Gary Zimmerman, Hamilton's attorney, said the two had finalized a custody agreement for their son last Friday, adding they lived in separate homes.

"Like everyone else, I'm just in disbelief that this could happen. He was my client and my friend," Zimmerman said.

Hamilton frequently took to Twitter to share baseball commentary and photographs. His last tweet came on Saturday to congratulate Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer on his no-hitter.

Colleagues mourned Hamilton's death. The New York Mets said they will have a moment of silence for him before their game on Friday versus the Cincinnati Reds.

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"Darryl's vibrant personality made him a key member of our postseason teams in 1999 and 2000. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family," the Mets said in a statement.

Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred said in a statement: "All of us at Major League Baseball are shocked and saddened by this tragedy."

Hamilton played 13 seasons as a Major League outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies and New York Mets before becoming an on-air analyst for the MLB Network.

He batted .291 with 1,333 hits, 707 runs scored and 454 RBI in his career, according to MLB.com.

(Reporting by Amanda Orr; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Eric Walsh and Eric Beech)

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