PHOENIX, AZ – An ex-University of Arizona football player, DaVonte’ Neal, has been sentenced to spend 20 years in prison for a 2017 murder. The former Wildcat cornerback had been charged with first-degree murder, drive-by shooting, and discharging a firearm at a structure relating to the death of Bryan T. Burns.
Neal was potentially facing up to 25 years in prison, so his sentence comes in just shy of the maximum. The hearing included emotionally charged victim statements. One read on behalf of Burns’ absent sister-in-law expressed their family’s grief and loss.
Neal was arrested in 2022 while working as an assistant football coach at Idaho State University. Following his arrest, he was detained at the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello, Idaho, until being extradited to Arizona. As a result of his arrest, Neal was removed from the football program at Idaho State University.
Born in Akron, Ohio, Neal played for U of A from 2013 to 2015 and earned the title of Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year twice at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale.
Prior to his time at Arizona, he played for the University of Notre Dame in 2012. Neal also held coaching positions at both high school and junior college levels.