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Mother confirms death of former Jacksonville Jaguars player Louis Nix III

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The family of former NFL football player Louis Nix III confirmed Saturday with Action News Jax he passed away.

On Saturday evening, JSO tweeted that its officers “located” Nix.

For hours police had a portion of Broxton Bay Rd. closed to traffic as its crime scene unit worked near a pond along the road. Later, a dive team retrieved a gray Hyundai sedan which matched the description police gave of Nix’s car. He’d been missing since Wednesday.

Action News Jax talked with Nix’s mother, Stephanie Wingfield, Saturday before she knew her son had passed.

”I’m praying he’s OK, but this is out of the norm for him,” she said.

Wingfield said she texted her son Tuesday but never heard back.

“I want nobody to be in my shoes, I’m not saying something has happened to my son, prayerfully, I hope it has not, but just not knowing, you know, your kids is your kids.”

Nix was a star at Raines High School before playing at Notre Dame and going on to the NFL, where he eventually ended his career with the Jaguars.

”Football was his love, but it is what it is,” his mother said.

In December of 2020, Nix was shot not far from his home near the River City Market Place. In a dramatic cellphone video after the shooting, Nix said he was robbed while putting air in his tires.

On Saturday, his mom told Action News Jax he’d been recovering from the shooting and was on the mend.