Former Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger Kills Self After Murdering Ex-Girlfriend

It’s not the kind of thing that you ever want to or expect to see on a baseball website, or anywhere else, for that matter – a former major leaguer involved in a murder/suicide. But such is life – and death – in 2020.

Late Saturday evening, it was being widely reported on social media that former MLB pitcher Charlie Haeger, who played for five seasons (including two with the Dodgers), had killed himself after murdering his ex-girlfriend, 34-year-old Danielle Breed, on Friday night.

Per Madeline Ackley of Arizona Central (subscription required), the 37-year-old right-hander shot and killed Breed in her Scottsdale, AZ apartment on Friday evening around 6:50 p.m. and then pointed a handgun as Breed’s unnamed male roommate, who managed to escape and call 911, prompting a SWAT callout. Haeger, however, managed to elude police.

Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, Haeger’s grey 2020 Chrysler Voyager was found abandoned near Flagstaff, and Haeger himself found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on a Grand Canyon trail on Saturday evening.

Fans may recall that during his two seasons with the Dodgers, Haeger compiled a less-than-stellar 1-5 record while posting a 6.45 ERA. He did, however, strike out 45 of the 230 total batters he faced – most on his signature knuckleball – while walking 33 in his combined 15 games (nine starts) and 49.0 innings pitched as a Dodger.

Former Dodger Charlie Haeger.

Per Ackley’s article, the investigation is on-going.

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