A Los Angeles Police Department detective involved in the criminal sexual assault investigation of NBA player Derrick Rose was found dead, according to local news outlets.
Nadine Hernandez, 44, was found with a single gunshot wound in a Whittier home on Oct. 11, after local police received a report of a possible suicide at around 2:45 p.m. She was rushed to PIH Health Hospital, where she died at 3:27 p.m., reported the Los Angeles Times.
Police investigating the case have yet to conclude whether the wound was self-inflicted or a homicide.
“We’re investigating it,” Whittier Lt. Steve Dean said.
Hernandez was assigned to the Robbery-Homicide Division Special Assault Section and was one of two lead detectives investigating a claim that Rose and his two friends—Randall Hampton and Ryan Allen—gang-raped the athlete’s former girlfriend in 2013. It was a letter written by Hernandez that confirmed Rose was the subject of a criminal investigation; Rose said he was unaware of a criminal case being filed against him.
In a letter dated Sept. 22, Hernandez assured Brandon Anand, the attorney who is representing the woman in her civil lawsuit, that any information related to the alleged victim would remain confidential.
The start of the rape lawsuit trial began on Oct. 4, and has revealed salacious details about Rose’s personal life. The 30-year-old woman testified in a Los Angeles courtroom that she believes her drink was spiked with an unknown drug, which she said caused her to black out. When she returned to her residence later that night, she said the men broke into her home and she awoke to them assaulting her.
Rose’s recollection of the night differed, stating that the woman was the “sexual aggressor,” welcomed them inside of her apartment, and willingly engaged in sexual relations with all three men. Rose testified that he had suspected the woman would claim the three men raped her after he had received a suspicious text a few days after the incident, reported the Associated Press.
Text messages have proved to be pivotal evidence in the trial. A series of text messages sent out by the alleged victim were withheld from the defense and weren’t submitted until Oct. 7, the day Rose took the stand. As a result, Rose’s attorneys alleged evidence tampering and asked the judge to declare a mistrial. The judge refused on Oct. 12, ruling that the jury will see the text messages.
Rose and the co-defendants have maintained their innocence. The woman is seeking $21.5 million.
