Missing Ohio State Defensive Lineman Found Dead

The 22-year-old athlete had been missing for four days since the last time he had been heard from. He had gone for a walk 2 a.m. Wednesday and it was the last time his friends and family were able to reach him, according to The New York Times.

The Times says that Sgt. Richard Weiner of the Columbus Police Department said a woman and her son who were scavenging trash containers found Karageorge's body in a trash bin Sunday afternoon. They also found a handgun in the trash bin, next to the lineman's body.

The police believe that Karageorge probably committed suicide with the gun that was found at the scene, but authorities said further investigation is required to rule out other possibilities, according to the Times. An investigation into the athlete's cause of death is ongoing. Investigators are collecting forensic evidence such as the real time of death, and if the gun belonged to Karageorge or someone else.

After the young athlete's disappearance, his family had claimed that it might be related to his history of concussions. According to the family, Karageorge had been complaining about the effects of concussions and blaming them for making him an "embarrassment."

Karageorge's older sister Sophia told the Times in a phone interview that the lineman has had "at least four or five" concussions throughout his playing years. The last concussion he had was in September. She said: "He had a pretty bad concussion last fall and he told me about the differences in his behaviour. Just, like, confusion, disorientation, being unable to focus, mood swings- not feeling like himself, basically, not feeling quite right."

Concussions and their effects on players' health has been a hot topic in recent years, amid growing concern among parents and athletes. Many believe that concussions, especially frequent concussions, can cause brain damage that can result in long term consequences such as personality changes that can lead to aggressive behaviour and depression.