Former LSU and current New England defensive lineman Marquise Hill was found dead Monday in Lake Pontchartrain, The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has told CBS-affiliate WWL-TV in New Orleans.
He was 24. Hill went missing Sunday after he and a female friend fell off their jet-ski, according to a statement released by the New England Patriots.
Albert Elias, Hill’s agent, told the Associated Press that Hill’s friend held onto a pylon until she was rescued. But a strong current in the lake continued to pull Hill, who is 6-feet, 6-inches tall and weighs nearly 300 pounds.
The Coast Guard received a call at around 9:30 p.m. to report the incident. The search for Hill began immediately after the call.
The search was changed from rescue to recovery Monday morning.
Hill played on LSU’s 2003 national championship team and was drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft by the New England Patriots. He was a member of the New England’s Super Bowl XXXIX championship team in his rookie season and has played in 13 games in three seasons with the Patriots.
—Contact Kyle Whitfield at [email protected]