Former Wildcat football player facing murder charge in Maricopa County

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Former University of Arizona football player Davonte’ Neal was arrested in Idaho on a warrant out of Maricopa County, according to the Idaho State Journal.

Neal, the defensive backs coach at Idaho State, was booked on charges that include first-degree murder and drive-by shooting in connection with the November 2017 death of Bryan T. Burns.

According to the report, Neal was indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury on May 16 and arrested in Pocatello, Idaho, on May 25.

Neal signed with Notre Dame out of high school and spent the 2012 season as an Irish receiver.

In 2013, he transferred to Arizona and redshirted. The next season, he played in 13 games for the Wildcats and caught 27 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns.

Before the 2015 season, he switched to cornerback and racked up 63 tackles and an interception.

Neal was a two-time Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year at Chaparral High in Scottsdale.

In January 2022, he was named the defensive backs coach at Idaho State. Before that, he spent time as an assistant coach at Chaparral High and Papago Pumas High.