Fred Lane Sr. was a gridiron star at Natchez High School in Franklin, Tennessee. Fred Sr. passed down some of his remarkable football ability and knowledge to his son Fred Jr., who became a rare talent at the same school, now renamed Franklin High. Lane Jr possessed uncommon speed and agility for such a young player. At Franklin High, Jr. amassed over 1,000 yards his senior season, averaging 7.5 yards per carry. His impact was so impressive that the school retired his number 28 jersey in honor of his athletic brilliance.
This skill set was not unnoticed by college recruiters at the oddly enough but appropriately named Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. The institution is a private, historically black college associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The school was established in 1878 to provide education for newly freed enslaved and named for one of its co-founders, Methodist Bishop Isaac Lane. Besides Fred, former NFL player Jacoby Jones played football for the Lane College Dragons.
Fred rushed for 3612 yards in his career at the school. He set multiple school rushing records, including running for 305 yards versus Miles College in a 1995 game. The athlete's success peaked in his junior year when Fred was placed on the Harlon Hill Trophy watchlist as one of DII's top players. In the same year, Lane was named to the Heritage Radio HBCU All-American team and several other media services' All-American teams. Fred Lane Jr's #6 jersey was also retired by Lane College.
Lane was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Panthers before the 1997 NFL season. The Panthers brass recognized the untapped talent of the youngster and wanted to explore its effectiveness in the NFL. Fred had a very interestingly successful debut as, during his rookie season, Lane set several franchise records.
After three years with the Panthers, Lane was traded to the Indianapolis Colts on April 21, 2000. For the Panthers, he had accumulated 2,001 rushing yards (the most in franchise history) and 13 touchdowns.
Unfortunately, Fred would never play a meaningful down for the Colts. On July 6, 2000, the promising life of the 24-year-old Fred Lane Jr was cut short in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Upon returning home from out of town, Lane went to his front door, placed the keys to the home, and unlocked it. When he opened the door, he faced one of the most frightful sites imaginable—the business end of a shotgun with a willing shooter poised with a finger on the trigger. Mecklenburg County Assistant District Attorney Marcia Goodenow described the scene as one where the athlete had no time to react.
The sound of the gun rang through the formerly quiet neighborhood. The discharge of the weapon found its mark in Lane's chest from a reported 5-8 feet away. Fred survived this initial mele. Wounded, he scrambled for an escape, crawling through his blood on the front stoop of his home. Seconds later, his life ended with a second deadly blast to the head from the same firearm and shooter.
The assailant was his wife, Deidra Lane. A $5 million insurance policy drove her motive. The couple's financial advisor had recently joked in inferior taste that it would be a good windfall for the financially cash-strapped couple. Fred, who had recently been paid almost $600,000 for playing for the Carolina Panthers in 1999, was said to be "cash poor" along with his wis spouse. That same Financial advisor, Rodney Harris, sold the couple the mutual aiding policy that in the event of either of their deaths, the other could enjoy a good lifestyle. Lane was said to be a typical immature early twenty-something who had been previously charged with drug possession. According to surviving family members, Fred was putting that former lifestyle of partying and ill spending behind him, possibly some indication of seeking financial advice from a professional.
Harris testified later in court that in June, just a few weeks before the murder, Deidra asked the insurance provider if she would be paid as a result of Fred dying in a drunk driving accident. Harris responded by saying, "Yes," but he also told the star player's spouse, "If you kill Fred, it will not pay you."
The murder trial of Deidra was in November of 2003, and testimonies from witnesses on both sides portrayed both parties as aggressors in an abusive relationship. NFL wide receiver Mushin Muhammed testified for the prosecution, stating that he had witnessed deep scratches on his former Panthers teammate done by Deidra's hand. The Lanes recently greeted the arrival of a baby girl just weeks before the shooting. Fred's family claimed that when Fred held his newborn daughter a week before his death, he said the baby didn't look like him. The couple was reported estranged, possibly over the alleged abuse and suspected infidelity. Fred was even said to be in the process of filing for divorce and executing the cut-off of financial ties with Deidra. Fred was returning home to gather and sell a motorcycle, not reconciling with his wife per the deceased's family.
In retort, Deidra's mother claimed that Deidra's face was swollen from an alleged beating, but these were not mentioned by police reports or documented by photos publicly. Mrs. Lane stayed at the scene to give the cops a full report of the incident and was even the one to call 911.
The trial ended with the guilty conviction of Deidra Lane, after he pleaded to Voluntary Manslaughter, as she was to serve the complete sentence of eight years of incarceration, minus time previously served.
