Steve McNair mourned in Nashville

McNair's body was taken by hearse to Mt. Zion Baptist Church in a silver-colored closed casket, a day after police said he shot was four times in the chest and head while he slept on a couch at a Nashville condominium Saturday.

He was killed by 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, a female companion, in what investigators have determined was a case of murder-suicide.

"Steve always believed it was important to give back to community who gave so much to him," said Don Weatherall, a spokesman for The Steve McNair Foundation.

"Mount Olive, Miss., lost a legend," Ray Duckworth, 41, a family friend and a native of McNair's hometown, told the newspaper. "I will never forget growing up with Steve."

McNair, the NFL co-MVP in 2003 while with the Titans, retired in April 2008 with the Baltimore Ravens, ending a 13-year career. He led the Titans to their only Super Bowl appearance, where they fell to the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

Police said Kazemi probably killed McNair and then herself because she was confronted with mounting bills at the same time her relationship with McNair was going badly, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported Thursday.

"We can't put ourselves in the minds of people who do these terrible, irrational acts, but there is evidence she was spinning out of control," Metro police Chief Ronal Serpas said.

Kazemi, who had been arrested for DUI July 2, two days before McNair was killed, suspected McNair was involved in a second extramarital relationship, police said.

She had told family and friends she expected McNair -- a married father of four sons -- to divorce his wife.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.