Long Island University Clay Beathard pictured on Long Island University's website.
Clay Beathard, the brother of San Francisco 49ers’ C.J. Beathard and the son of country singer, Casey Beathard, was killed in a stabbing outside of a bar in Nashville in the early hours of December 21. In addition to his father and brother, Beathard is survived by his older brother, singer Tucker Beathard, mother, Susan and sisters Channing and Tatum. Beathard’s grandfather was Bobby Beathard, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the former general manager of Washington and San Diego in the NFL.
The 49ers organization has released a statement on Beathard’s death saying part, “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to C.J. and the entire Beathard family as they cope with the unthinkable loss of a loved one.” The statement went on to say that C.J. Beathard has traveled to Tennessee to be with his family.
Beathard, 22, was killed alongside another man, Paul Trapeni III, according to a statement from the Nashville Police Department. Another man was injured in the incident. He has since been treated and released from a hospital. Police have since identified him as AJ Bethurum. Beathard, Trapeni and Bethurum all attended Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, for high school.
Bethurum issued a statement saying, “All my thoughts and prayers (go to) the families of my friends who passed away yesterday.”
Beathard & Trapeni Intervened After Another Man’s Unwanted Advances Toward a Woman at the Bar, Friends Say
Police say that the altercation began over a woman inside of the Dogwood Bar & Grill, 1907 Division Street. According to WKRN-TV, Beathard and Trapeni intervened after another man made an “unwanted advancement” toward a woman in the bar.
The stabbings occurred outside. Beathard and Trapeni were both stabbed in the side. They were rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where they were pronounced dead. Any witnesses or anybody with any information on the stabbings is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
“The fatal stabbings appear to have resulted from an argument over a woman that began inside Dogwood Bar and then turned physical when the parties went outside,” the Metro Nashville Police department said in a statement. “Multiple persons were involved in the outdoor fight during which the two men were both fatally stabbed in their sides. … The dispute began over an unwanted advancement made by a man toward a woman in the bar.”
Police are seeking this man for questioning in relation to the stabbing.
Police said Sunday, December 22, that a 23-year-old man, Michael D. Mosley, is wanted for questioning in connection to the stabbing. Three other unidentified people seen in the surveillance video are also wanted for questioning.
Mosley, of Pegram, Tennessee, has a violent past, including arrests on aggravated assault charges and on accusations that he took part in a jail riot. He has been in and out of jail since he was 18, when he was accused of stabbing a man, according to court records. You can read more about Mosley here.
Beathard & Trapeni Were Classmates at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee
Clayton Beathard is a 2017 graduate of Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee. He played college football at Long Island University following a transfer from Iowa Western Community College. Beathard was majoring in sports managing, according to his LIU profile. Like his brother, Beathard was a quarterback. Beathard’s LIU profile lists his hometown as Nashville, Tennessee. LIU coach Bryan Collins described Beathard’s transition from Iowa to New York as being “hard,” according to Newsday.
Beathard’s family issued a statement saying, “It’s times like this I wish had Instagram and social media because the love and prayers have been so overwhelming. We cannot possibly thank you at the rate they come in texts and phone calls. Clay was an amazing, big and soft hearted human being with an undeniable love for the Lord. He had his family’s, friends’ and teammates’ backs even to a fault. I wish he would have been more inclined to take the high road but he hated ‘wrong.'”
We are saddened to hear the devastating news that a member of our Sharks family, Clayton Beathard, has passed away. During this difficult time, our condolences and prayers are with the Beathard family, @LIUSharksFB and anyone who was lucky enough to know Clay. #SharksFamily 💙💛
His family continued, “He was never afraid of a challenge so please, all of you, take on the next challenge with faith in God and knowing Clay is smiling down and has your back. I love all of you and I love for the gift he was to us for a little while. I beg that your thoughts and prayers go out to the whoever committed this act but the Trapeni family also. Paul was Clay’s teammate and friend at BGA who was also taken in the incident.”
Paul Trapeni III was also a graduate of Battle Ground Academy. The school said in part, “We offer our condolences and deepest sympathy to the Beathard and Trapeni families. We also offer our prayers and support to their BGA classmates, teammates, teachers and coaches.” The school made counselors available to students at the campus on the day following the stabbing. The Tennessean reports that Trapeni III is the son of Smyrna, Tennessee optometrist, Paul Trapeni Jr.
A 2015 USA Today feature on said that he was the “2014 Division II-A Mr. Football Back of the Year.” The preview article named Paul Trapeni, a tight end, as “a force on both sides of the ball in 2015.” Trapeni was a senior at Rhodes College in Memphis and was set to graduate in May 2020. He was studying political science and planned to go to law school.
Beathard’s Instagram page is set to private. In the bio section, it reads, “Livin under God only 137 globoyz.”
Paul Douglas Trapeni’s family said in a statement, “Paul Douglas had a heart of gold and the absolute best sense of humor. He was empathetic almost to a fault, and he bent over backwards just to make somebody else feel loved, whether it was his oldest friend or the woman he just met at the gas station that asked for a hot dog.”
His family says Paul Douglas Trapeni III “had a heart of gold and the absolute best sense of humor… He believed whole-heartedly in the goodness of this life, and he knew how to really live it.”
The family added, “Paul Douglas committed himself fully to a life of purpose, and he already knew that his purpose was to be present for the people he loved. He believed whole-heartedly in the goodness of this life, and he knew how to really live it. He found joy in all the little things, and he helped others find that same joy. Paul Douglas walked alongside his family and friends through their highest highs and their lowest lows, and he never asked for anything in return. He loved the quote that love is never wasted, and it was that selfless compassion that drove every action and every word.”
Paul Trapeni’s family sent us a statement – it says, in part:
“Paul Douglas had a heart of gold and the absolute best sense of humor. He was empathetic almost to a fault, and he bent over backwards just to make somebody else feel loved”
Chapmann Finn, a high school football teammate of both men, told The Tennessean, “They were both very good friends and would stand up for those they were close with no matter what.
Beathard’s brother, CJ, gave a message to his teammates before heading home to be with his family. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, “He could barely talk, but he said to me, last thing he said as he walked out the door is, ‘You guys go out and win this game. This game doesn’t mean anything compared to his brother, but you guys know C.J.”
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