There’s a lot of man-on-woman violence in the United States. It’s both sad and disgusting. Men should not put their hands on women. It’s that simple. There seems to be an unhealthy amount of such domestic violence in professional sports.
It would be unfair to paint athletes as somehow more prone to violent aggression. Nevertheless, there are far too many reports of such. Part of the issue is certainly that pro sports figures are more visible. That still doesn’t provide any excuse for an inexcusable act.
Nonetheless, sometimes the violence takes an ugly turn. Domestic violence can cost someone their life in everyday America as well as in the professional sports community. One such incident, involving a former San Francisco 49ers player, has reappeared in the news.
On April 25, 2021, Taylor Pomaski went missing. The 29-year-old was last seen at a house party. For months, law enforcement looked for clues to Pomaski’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, her remains were discovered in December 2021.
At the time of her mysterious disappearance, Pomaski was the girlfriend of Kevin Ware. The 6’3”, 260-pound Ware played only two seasons in the NFL. He began his career with the Washington Redskins and then played a single season in San Francisco.
Ware played sparingly, catching a total of four passes across his two NFL seasons. In June 2022, Ware was considered a suspect in Pomaski’s murder. The former player has now been indicted for murder and tampering with evidence.
Ware was arrested and charged. If he is found guilty, Ware could face a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison. The indictment was handed down by a Harris County, Texas grand jury. The indictment does not mean Ware is guilty. He is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
However, a grand jury indictment only happens when there is sufficient evidence to file criminal charges. Those charges have been filed, and Ware has been arrested. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stressed, “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and apply the law equally to all.”
Reports say that Ware did some heinous things to try to hide the body. These acts triggered the grand jury to hand down the tampering with evidence recommendation. Certainly, this trial will reveal some gruesome details. However, it will reveal other things as well.
There’s an unhealthy level of violence in our nation. Domestic violence is not a new phenomenon. It’s been happening for centuries. Tougher domestic violence laws may help. But there’s a lack of interest for teaching men what it means to be a “real man”.
One part of that solution is to keep our hands off women. It doesn’t appear this former NFL player learned that lesson. A pending trial will reveal the truth. But it’s still a sad development, and, worst of all, a woman is dead.