University of Kentucky football player Nick Smith he displayed troubling behavior in the days leading up to his suicide at the age of 20.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office report obtained exclusively by Us Weekly on Monday, June 15, it was determined that the defensive lineman from Loganville, Georgia – who changed his first season – committed suicide on June 8, 2026. Investigators found his body in his bedroom around 10:40 local time.
A recent investigation by law enforcement revealed that Smith had previously talked to his friends about killing himself and allegedly crashed his car while driving drunk in the days before his death. According to friends, Smith struggled following the death of his sister, Kaitlynnin April 2026.
“I’m posting this to let those who knew and loved my son know about the passing of our giant,” Smith’s mother, Genedra Rountreeannounced on Facebook on June 9, 2026. “I know there are many people I can call or think of who loved and cared about my son and wanted him.”
Police reports obtained by Us provided important insights into Smith’s state of mind before his death and revealed new information about the outcome.
Keep scrolling for more information on the investigation into Smith’s death.
Police Describe Stressful Scene in Nic Smith’s Dorm Room
Police were called to do a welfare check when Smith’s live-in assistant couldn’t contact him. When Smith’s locked room door was opened, he was found unresponsive.
Firefighters at the scene tried to save lives but failed.
Police Reports Shed New Light on Nic Smith’s Last Days
A police report filed on June 9, 2026, recorded a detective speaking with a person who recalled a phone conversation with Smith from June 7, 2026. In that conversation, Smith allegedly told a friend that he “wasn’t sure if he could continue.”
The friend first asked Smith’s roommate to knock on the door of his locked room on June 8, 2026, but there was no answer. His roommate went to the gym but shared his concerns with others.
Nic Smith Allegedly Crashed His Car Drunk Days Before His Death
A friend reported to University of Kentucky police on June 10, 2026, that she witnessed Smith’s deplorable behavior during the last weekend of his life.
Smith took them to a party on June 5, 2026, but the football player “had been drinking and accidentally wrecked his car by hitting a curb,” a friend said.
“After Nicholas crashed his car, [the friend] he told me that Nicholas said he wanted to free himself,” the officer wrote.[The friend] he believes that Nicholas did not mean anything and was drunk and angry that he wrecked his car.”
Smith revealed that his eulogy the night before was caused by his car being hit.
“[The friend] he told Nicholas that he should continue with his own [late] sister [who died in April] and that Nicholas was crying at this time,” the report reads.[The friend] he didn’t tell anyone about this because he was afraid that Nicholas might get in trouble with the coaches and he didn’t want to look like a stealer.”
Nic Smith Allegedly Sent Horrifying Text Messages Before His Death
The football star attended the Railbird Festival in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 7. His ticket was paid for by a friend who witnessed a drunk driving accident.
“At the concert after 1:00 p.m. he saw Nicholas drinking at least a few drinks, possibly Beatbox, and that he told Nicholas not to drink because of his early morning workout,” the friend told police in a June 10, 2026, report.
A friend noted that Smith was “acting normal, happy, country and having fun” all day at the festival, except for one moment when a group of friends were talking to girls.
“Nicholas didn’t have it [a girl] talking to him started to leave, but that [the friend] they pulled him into the group and told him that they were there to have fun and not to worry about that,” said the police.
As the group left the party, “Nicholas told them that he was very grateful for taking him to the concert.”
“Nicholas continued to say that he appreciates them and is grateful that they treated him well and ended by saying that he loves them,” said the police report. “[The friend] he told me that he asked Nicholas if he was okay, and he told them he was fine. [They] they said they were going to WG4 [Woodland Glen Four dorm at UKC] together and it was the last time she saw Nicholas on Sunday night. “
However, while at the concert, Smith allegedly posted an Instagram Story around 11:30 pm that read, “IDK if I should continue.”
The friend explained to University of Kentucky police that he had reported any unusual behavior, but did not see anything of concern at the festival.
Nic Smith’s Roommate Shares Important Details About Athlete’s Last Days
Smith’s roommate spoke to investigators on June 10, 2026. During their interview, the roommate recalled having a brief conversation with Smith in their bedroom the night before his death.
“Nicholas had said [the roommate] about wrecking his car over the weekend, but he didn’t have much information other than that he wrecked his car and seemed obsessed with it,” the report reads.
Smith and his roommate agreed to change practice times for the morning of June 8, 2026. As he was leaving for practice, his roommate received a phone call telling him that Smith did not show up for practice.
The roommate told police that he returned to the bedroom and found Smith’s bedroom door locked, which he described as “unusual.”
“[The roommate] she slammed the door so hard, she was worried that Nicholas would go crazy, and she even played alarm sounds with a small Bluetooth speaker to try to wake Nicholas up.” “Nicholas didn’t open the door.”
Police Find Farewell Messages on Nic Smith’s Phone
University of Kentucky police detailed a search of Smith’s iPhone on June 11, 2026. They found several messages from the night of the Railbird concert, in which he shared that he was “upset.”
“And honestly I want to say everything … I’m tired of ts,” he wrote to the retweeted person.
The device confirmed that Smith texted his mother and father that he loved them the morning of his death, although those messages never arrived.
Nic Smith’s Wallet Was Missing At The Time Of His Death
Kentucky State Police announced on June 10, 2026, that they had spoken to Smith’s mother and two sisters about his death. One line of questioning involved Smith’s wallet, which was missing from his bedroom.
“[His mother] “I didn’t know what kind of wallet it was, or what it really contained besides ID cards and bank cards,” the police officer said.
The officer said Smith’s mother “expressed concern” about his father and stepmother, although the exact reason was not mentioned in the report.
A Friend Offers Insight into Nic Smith’s Family Dynamic
A second friend spoke to police on June 10, 2026, about having phone conversations with the athlete “up to 3 or 4 times a day.”
He explained the situation of the Smith family which was said to be complicated, saying that “Nicholas’s mother used to call him when she wanted money and she always asked for money ‘every now and then.'”
“One time recently, Nicholas’s mother called Nicholas and told him that for his birthday he should send her money. [the friend] he believes Nicholas sent several thousand dollars,” said his friend.
On the sidelines, the friend said “everything seems fine” between Smith and his father.
This friend admitted that she “couldn’t understand why Nicholas didn’t call her if he was upset or had something on Sunday night.” Smith is said to have talked about suicide to this friend in the past, even saying that he had tried to kill himself before.
“[That incident] it was to warn Nicholas that he would not do something like that again, but he would still call him if he felt depressed,” emphasized the friend.
However, this same friend admitted that Smith had recently told him, “When I go, I want you to take all my things.”
Smith was in contact with this friend after his drunk driving accident on June 5, 2026.
“Nicholas told him that he had been driving late Friday night or Saturday morning and hit the curb on Sports Center Drive and damaged some of his tires,” police wrote in their report. “[The friend] said Nicholas was angry with himself for damaging his car. [The friend] he told me he was working with Nicholas to get the car towed and fixed and he assured him they would find it, but Nicholas was depressed and upset.”
Nic Smith Was Filmed On UKC Security Cameras Before His Death
Security cameras at UKC’s Woodland Glen Four building recorded Smith multiple times in the last two days of his life, however police wrote in their letter dated June 10, 2026, that “nothing suspicious or unusual” was seen.
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