SACRAMENTO —
Ricky Berry, first-round draft choice of the Sacramento Kings in 1988, apparently committed suicide Monday at his suburban Sacramento home after arguing with his wife Sunday night.
A Sacramento County Sheriff’s spokesman said Berry’s wife, Valerie, who had spent the night away from the couple’s newly purchased home, found the 24-year-old player on the floor of the family room with a gunshot wound to his head when she returned Monday morning.
A suicide note was found at the scene, but the sheriff’s department did not reveal what was written.
A coroner’s spokesman said an autopsy is being done, but that a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head was the apparent cause of death. Time of death has not been established.
Kings’ officials held a brief news conference Monday afternoon at Arco Arena, outside which a hand-lettered cardboard sign read, “Due to a death in Kings family all offices are closed for the day.”
Coach Jerry Reynolds quietly began a statement, “My prayers . . ., “ blinking back tears, but was unable to continue and left the podium.
A statement from managing general partner Gregg Lukenbill was read by another Kings’ official.
“We are profoundly shocked and saddened at the tragic ending of the life of Ricky Berry,” said the statement, which was read by Greg Van Dusen, the executive vice president of the Arco sports complex. “Ricky was a kind, thoughtful, sensitive, caring and soft-spoken young man who was spirited and talented as an athlete. Our thoughts and prayers are both with Ricky and with his family in this time of grief.”
Bill Russell, the Kings’ executive vice president of basketball operations, was consoling the Berry family and did not attend the news conference.
