Dernell Stenson
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Dernell Renuald Stenson (June 17, 1978 - November 5, 2003) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw left-handed. He was 6'1" tall and weighed 230 lbs.
The youngest of eight children, Dernell was the son of lumberjack James Stenson and his wife Cora. He starred in baseball at LaGrange High School in LaGrange, GA, the same high school attended by MLB outfielder Mike Cameron. There, Stenson attracted the attention of scouts for the Boston Red Sox, and he was selected in the third round with the ninety-first overall pick of the 1996 amateur draft.
Stenson advanced quickly through the minor leagues before reaching a plateau at AAA. He spent parts of four seasons at the Red Sox's affiliate in Pawtucket before leaving the franchise as a six-year minor league free agent. Stenson signed with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2003 season, and after performing well in the minors, he was called up to the big club in September. Stenson appeared in a total of 37 games, primarily as a left fielder or right fielder, batting .247 with three home runs in 81 at bats. After the season, Stenson was chosen to represent his organization in the Arizona Fall League.
While playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the AFL, Stenson was murdered, for reasons that are still unclear. The incident initially appeared to be a carjacking; Stenson was bound, shot in the head and chest, and then run over with his own SUV. Information which surfaced following the murder indicated that it may have been the culmination of a more elaborate scheme.
Stenson had received threatening text messages from former girlfriend Jennifer Gaddis, including one that said "U better pray I never see you U again. I swear Dernell U R worth a Murder charge 4 & that is all U R worth." She had engaged in odd behavior before, having faked both a pregnancy and a suicide in order to attract Stenson's attention. Police searched Gaddis's home and place of work and questioned her extensively, but concluded that she was not involved.
Four men were ultimately arrested for the crime, with robbery stated as motive. Reginald Riddle and David Griffith were both charged with six felonies, among them first-degree murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery. Reginald Riddle agreed to a plea to avoid a possible death sentence. He received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison in exchange for testifying against his co-defendant, David Griffith. Prosecutors have elected to seek the death penalty for Griffith. Kevin Riddle (Reginald's half-brother), pled guilty to charges of auto theft, hindering prosecution, and attempted hindering prosecution. He received a sentence of eight years and nine months in prison. Charges against a fourth man, Robert Maye, were dropped after it was determined that he was a protected federal witness who had testified against the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples street gang.
The AFL suspended play for two days after Stenson's murder, and the league subsequently inaugurated the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, given to a player who displays the values of perseverance and humility. His number was retired by the Reds' AAA team, the Chatanooga Lookouts, afterwards.
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- The Deadball Era
