Pubdate: Wed, 12 Mar 2014
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2014 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Tristin Hopper
Page: A7

HOCKEY PLAYER FOUND DEAD

Eight days after the sudden disappearance of Toronto born OHL player
Terry Trafford, Michigan Police confirmed Tuesday that they have found
his body in a Wal-Mart parking lot only a few kilometres away from
where he was last seen alive.

A player for Michigan's Saginaw Spirit, Mr. Trafford, 20, had a
history of depression and had reportedly threatened suicide only hours
before his March 3 disappearance.

"We all had been praying for a better end to this story," wrote fellow
Saginaw Spirit Gregg Sutch in a Tuesday night web post.

"Always known for being a prankster in the room, sometimes he drove
you up the wall, but no matter what, you loved Traff," he added.

On March 3 at 9:30 a.m., Mr. Trafford was last seen leaving the Dow
Event Center, home ice for the Saginaw Spirit. Only hours before, the
OHL forward - a four-year veteran of the Spirit - had been suspended
from the team for disciplinary reasons.

"He was sent home for a violation of rules," team president Craig
Goslin told MLive.com on Tuesday, shortly before the discovery of Mr.
Trafford's body.

The 20-year-old was still on the team's roster, said Mr. Goslin, but
before returning, "he'd have to change his behaviour and make some
adjustments."

Earlier, Mr. Trafford's father, Roy, had told Global News that his son
was being reprimanded for smoking marijuana.

Skye Cieszlak, Mr. Trafford's girlfriend of four years, told both
Ontario and Michigan media outlets that, in the hours leading up to
his disappearance, she had been receiving worrying messages from the
player.

"He texted me and told me his life was over and that he didn't want to
do it any more," Ms. Cieszlak told MLive.com.

On Monday, the Spirit wrote in an official statement that "the
disappearance of Terry Trafford is a very difficult situation."

"Our primary concern remains to assist the professionals that are
diligently working to locate Terry and all activities have been
focused on that support for them," wrote the team.

As per a much-circulated description making the rounds of social media
over the weekend, Mr. Trafford had last been seen wearing black sweat
pants flecked with white paint and driving a green GMC Sierra.

It was inside this vehicle that Mr. Trafford's body was found on
Tuesday.

According to local media, a Michigan State Police trooper was
patrolling the parking lot on Tuesday when he came upon the vehicle.

Photos from the scene showed that police had draped the vehicle's
front windshield with a yellow sheet, although investigators have not
indicated Mr. Trafford's cause of death.

"This is a tragic situation for all involved," wrote OHL commissioner
David Branch in a Monday night statement, adding "we will co-operate
fully with any investigations."

On Tuesday evening, the Saginaw Spirit announced that, "due to the
tragic passing" of Mr. Trafford, the team had postponed a Wednesday
game against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
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MAP posted-by: Matt