Nephew of Pro Football Hall of Famer Junior Seau charged in fentanyl overdose death

SAN DIEGO — A nephew of Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau is facing a murder charge in connection to the fentanyl death of a childhood friend last year, authorities said Tuesday.

Micah Seau, 31, a former football player at San Diego State University, was one of two people who pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

He, along with 59-year-old Sheri Cavanaugh, were charged on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit a crime, according to San Diego County Sheriff’s Office online booking records. They are accused of the sale of fentanyl pills that led to the fatal overdose of Connor Gerhart, 31, in Pacific Beach, California.

Like his uncle, a 12-time Pro Bowl selection who died in 2012 and was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame three years later, Micah Seau was a defensive standout. He played at San Diego State from 2012 until 2015, according to the university.

According to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Micah Seau allegedly sold fentanyl pills to Gerhart, a longtime friend who would die from an overdose on June 1, 2023, KGTV reported.

Deputy District Attorney Alison Boutilier said that Seau is accused of purchasing $1,200 worth of fentanyl pills from Cavanaugh in La Mesa on May 31, 2023. Seau then allegedly sold some pills the following day to Gerhart, a friend he had known since the two men played Pop Warner football, the Union-Tribune reported.

“Mr Gerhart purchased the pills from Mr. Seau for $700,” Deputy District Attorney Allison Boutilier told reporters.

According to Boutilier, Gerhart took the pills at his home that evening and overdosed, the newspaper reported. He was found dead by a family friend the next day.

Seau was arrested on May 31, 2024, according to KGTV. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the Union-Tribune reported.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team began its investigation at the scene of Gerhart’s death the day after he was found, KSWB-TV reported. Investigators determined that Seau and Cavanaugh and Seau were longtime associates allegedly dealing illegal drugs.

“(Gerhart’s) life was stolen by careless drug dealers who chose money over life,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for the DEA in San Diego said in a statement. “Removing those who sell fake pills and endanger the community is one of the top priorities for the DEA.”

If convicted of the charges, Seau and Cavanaugh each face up to 15 years in state prison, the Union-Tribune reported.

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