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A dead body was found at New York Giants CB Janoris Jenkins’ home today according to TMZ Sports. Jenkins, who is in Florida, has been advised by his lawyers to remain in Florida for the time being:
Police sources have confirmed a body has been discovered on the property of Giants Janoris Jenkins in Fair Lawn, NJ. Jenkins is not in the state and has been in Florida since camp broke. He is aware as are the New York Giants. Told this is a homicide investigation
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) June 26, 2018
I’ve also learned Janoris Jenkins had family staying at that home...he had plans to return to New Jersey today to deal with this situation but he may stay in Florida. #Giants
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) June 26, 2018
Also last night in NJ, a man claiming to be Janoris Jenkins’ brother was on a Jet Blue flight to Fort Lauderdale from Newark to allegedly meet up with Janoris. The man caused delays because he was too scared to fly according to witnesses I spoke to. He got off the plane #giants
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) June 26, 2018
Also worth nothing Janoris Jenkins wants to get back to NJ, he’s been advised by attorneys to stay in Florida per sources. #Giants
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) June 26, 2018
While much of Jenkins’ time with the St. Louis and then Los Angeles Rams proved the stuff of comedy fodder for TST, this obviously isn’t a laughing matter.
Jenkins was drafted by the Rams in the 2012 NFL Draft with the 39th overall pick, one of the picks the Rams were granted in the trade with Washington that sent the #2 overall pick to D.C. to take QB Robert Griffin III. A feast-or-famine cornerback whose aggressive play often led to exposed deep passing windows along with the occasional pick six, Jenkins was part of a talented secondary in the Rams’ final years in St. Louis. It was that secondary that General Manager Les Snead tabbed at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine as “Priority A” to re-sign. Not a single one of the members of that secondary re-signed.
Jenkins was the first to exit just two months after the Rams received approval to relocate to Los Angeles. After the Rams low-balled him with a five-year, $45m offer, Jenkins signed with the Giants for the same five-year length but for $62.5m instead. S Rodney McLeod signed not long after with the Philadelphia Eagles. Last offseason, it was S T.J. McDonald’s turn to hit the market first hitting a one-year trial contract with the Miami Dolphins before earning a four-year extension with them for $24m. And finally, it was CB Trumaine Johnson. Twice tagged, Johnson finally hit his pay day this year in free agency with the New York Jets on a massive, five-year $72.5m deal.
Priority A was a failure for the Rams. While they have moved on, Jenkins clearly has a serious issue to deal with just a month before training camps break across the NFL.
Stay tuned.
(Updated at 9:02pm ET)
The victim has been identified as Roosevelt Rene, a “family friend” per PFT. And per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, cops are looking at strangulation/suffocation as the cause of death:
Per law enforcement sources, police are investigating a possible strangulation/suffocation as the cause of death in the case of the body found at Giants CB Janoris Jenkins’ home.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 26, 2018
(Updated at 4:47pm ET, June 27)
William Jenkins, Janoris’ brother, has now been charged with manslaughter by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office:
#BCPONJ & @FairLawnPD announce William H. JENKINS, Jr. of Fair Lawn, charged: Agg. Manslaughter for death of Roosevelt Rene.
— BCPONJ (@BCPONJ) June 27, 2018
JENKINS in custody in Ontario Co., NY. Investigation ongoing, unable to release further info. Charges merely accusations. Defendant presumed innocent.