Legendary Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre was found dead in Peninsula State Park late Monday afternoon. Police reports indicate that Favre, who had been missing for about five weeks, was killed by a bullet that fractured his spinal column at the base of his skull.
\His body was in decent shape for being dead for so long,"" Door County sheriff Derrick Michels said. ""That's attributable to the cold weather.""
Even with the body in good condition, police were still not sure who the body was. That is until they looked at his hand and saw his Super Bowl XXXI ring.
""Once we saw the ring, 'Whoa,' we all took a step back and said a little prayer. I mean you look at that sucker and think 'It can't be Favre, can it?'"" Michels said.
Favre, who had a fondness for hunting and was a huge outdoors enthusiast, had not been heard from since a hunting trip he went on during the second to last weekend in February in Door County.
Accompanying him on the fateful trip were teammate Santana Dotson and lifetime friend Gus Sumpkin, who Favre grew up with in Louisiana.
Dotson, who left the hunting trip three days before Favre and Sumpkin were planning on leaving, was unavailable for comment.
In an even more bizarre twist, the man who saw Brett Favre alive for the last time, Sumpkin, has been impossible to track down and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.
""At this time, the warrant has been issued only to question Sumpkin, and to try and figure out what happened in the woods on that day,"" Michels said.
For the few Green Bay Packers that were at the team facilities the news was difficult to take.
""I really can't believe that this has happened. Brett was like a big brother to me,"" tight end Bubba Franks said upon hearing the news. ""I mean my rookie year on my birthday, Brett and Ryan [Longwell] took me out to their favorite bar. To think of that bright spirit buying me tequila shots... and now he's gone.""
Found on his body, in addition to a flask of Wild Turkey and a tin of Copenhagen chewing tobacco, were pictures of his family and a candid snapshot of Favre and the Super Bowl XXXI trophy.
Student reaction has been somber as expected.
""Throughout my college career, he was my role model, he was a father figure. Certainly a better father figure than my own dad. My life really has no direction anymore."" UW senior and Green Bay native Justin Burchard said.
In Green Bay the atmosphere was that of a funeral parlor as most businesses closed within moments of hearing the news.
An official press release from the mayor's office stated that all businesses would be ""closed for all of Tuesday and that it 'would be business as usual' come Wednesday.""
The sporting world has lost a legend and the state of Wisconsin has lost a friend with this tragic news. As of press time no funeral arrangements had been made open to the public.
