Larry Bethea Larry Bethea ( July 21 , 1956 – April 24 , 1987 ) was an American football defensive lineman who played six years in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys . He later played for the Michigan Panthers , Oakland Invaders and Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League . He played college football at Michigan State University . He died of a self - inflicted gunshot wound within hours of being identified as a suspect in two armed robberies . Early years . Bethea was a standout for Ferguson High School ( Newport News , Virginia ) , playing both offensive end and defensive end . He was a Parade All - American and a Group AAA all - state in 1973 . He went on to play for Michigan State University , where he started at tight end as a freshman . During his sophomore season he was moved to defensive end where he excelled . In 1976 he earned second - team Big Ten All - conference recognition . In 1977 he was the first defensive player named Big Ten Conference MVP since Dick Butkus . He also earned first - team Big Ten All - conference honors and played in the East – West Shrine Game . Bethea still holds the school records for career sacks ( 33 ) and sacks in a season ( 16 ) and is arguably the greatest defensive end to play for Michigan State University . Professional career . Dallas Cowboys . Looking for a successor to Ed " Too Tall " Jones who left football to start a professional boxing career , the Dallas Cowboys drafted him in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft . Bethea played defensive end and defensive tackle for the Cowboys , but was waived at the end of the 1983 season , after six years of failing to become a starter and live up to his potential . USFL . In 1984 he signed a free agent contract with the Michigan Panthers of the now - defunct United States Football League . 1985 was his final year playing professional football . He spent it with the Oakland Invaders and the Houston Gamblers , being released by both of those teams during the season . Personal life . Bethea was rumored to have a drug abuse problem dating back to his college days , and cocaine addiction was blamed for the problems he had during his adult life . His troubles with the law began in 1985 when he pleaded guilty to setting three fires in Mount Rainer National Park in Paradise Washington . He was ordered to pay $ 1 , 000 dollars to the park to cover the cost of fighting the fires . In 1986 , he was jailed on charges of assaulting his wife and stealing his mother ' s life savings of $ 64 , 000 dollars . In 1987 , he was given a suspended four - year prison term for stealing . The judge also ordered Bethea to serve two years on probation while repaying the money . In the final incident , on April 24 , 1987 , police were called by an unidentified source who said the former football player had robbed two convenience stores . Bethea , 30 , was later found in a friend ' s backyard with a self - inflicted gunshot wound to his right temple and a . 38 - caliber automatic pistol near his body . He was taken to Hampton General Hospital , where he was pronounced dead at 2 : 08 a . m . The gun used in the shooting and the two robberies was believed to be a weapon that was reported stolen from a parked vehicle in the city .