Former Major League Baseball player Charles Haeger, sought in the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend in a Phoenix suburb, was found dead on Saturday at the Grand Canyon with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Haeger's car was found unoccupied near Flagstaff and his body was discovered at about 4 p.m. on a trail along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, Sgt. Ben Hoster, a Scottsdale Police Department spokesman, said in a statement on Saturday night.
Haeger Fatally Shot Ex-GF Over Break Up
Police were looking for Haeger, 37, in connection with the fatal shooting of his former girlfriend, Danielle Breed, 34, who usually went by her maiden name, Danielle Long. She was found dead at her Scottsdale residence on Friday, Oct 2.
According to investigators, a roommate heard gunshots emerging from the victim's bedroom and saw the Haeger leave the room armed with a gun. "Haeger then pointed the handgun at the roommate. The roommate quickly escaped out of the back of the residence, and he was able to get a neighbor to call 911," the police department said.
Scottsdale patrol officers had responded to a "sound of shots" call and arrived at the house but did not immediately go inside. The police activated barricade procedures and a SWAT team later entered the house and found Breed dead.
Haeger and Long reportedly broke up a few months ago and she was planning to get a restraining order against him for cyberstalking her. "He was calling here and asking to you know get back together and she's like 'no, no, no, no, no, no,'" Long's mother said.
A GoFundMe has now been set up for Long to cover her funeral expenses and has already amassed more than $21,000.
Professional Baseball Career
Haeger, a knuckleball pitcher, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 2001. He briefly retired to pursue a career in golf following the 2002 season, but returned in 2004. He pitched 83 innings in the major leagues between 2006 and 2010. His career included stints with the San Diego Padres, LA Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and the Boston Red Sox.
