Former Clemson Football Star Diondre Overton Shot and Killed, Parents Speak Out: ‘I Miss My Baby’

Mar. 15, 2025

Diondre Overton on Dec. 28, 2019.Photo:Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty

The parents of late Clemson University football star Diondre Overton are mourning their son this week and pleading for anyone with information about his murder to come forward.

Overton, 26, was shot and killed on Saturday, Sept. 7 at a party he was attending for a friend, his mother, Sandra Grace, and stepfather Bryan Hill toldNBC affiliate WXIIon Tuesday. “Diondre didn’t have a gun, don’t own a gun. He would have never shot a person,” Grace told the outlet. “He definitely valued life.”

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted toFacebookon Sunday that deputies responded to a noise complaint for a party happening at a Greensboro, N.C., residence around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Once they arrived at the residence, officers were told there was a shooting and soon found Overton.

“Despite immediate medical aid, Mr. Overton was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that the shooting appeared to be an “isolated” incident and that the homicide investigation remains “active and ongoing.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the sheriff’s office for an update on the investigation.

Diondre Overton on Jan. 9, 2017.Don Juan Moore/Getty

Don Juan Moore/Getty

Overton’s stepfather told the outlet that “everywhere he went, he made a positive impact on people.”

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Clemson announced the news of Overton’s death on Saturday in a post onX (formerly Twitter). The university wrote, “Clemson Football and the entire Clemson Family mourns the passing of Clemson alumnus Diondre Overton. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Later that day, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, who coached Overton from 2016 to 2019, stopped in front of a plaque honoring the late wide receiver at Memorial Stadium and patted the monument before walking out onto the field ahead of the team’s game against Appalachian State,ESPNreported.

Diondre Overton on Dec. 28, 2019.Norm Hall/Getty

Norm Hall/Getty

Overton was Clemson’s captain and helped lead the team to two national championships during his college football career. According to ESPN, the Greensboro native caught seven touchdowns on 52 passes, totaling 777 yards throughout his career.

After college, Overton went on to play professionally in the Canadian Football League, the European League of Football and the former United Football League, based in the United States.

Per ESPN, Overton’s former college teammate and current Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Tee Higgins, also paid tribute to the late Clemson captain, writing on his Instagram Stories: “Brotha I miss you already man. I love you 5L….I’m hurting bad bout this right now. Rest Easy Big Play.”

source: people.com