Former Dallas Cowboys running back Gavin Escobar was found dead Wednesday in a rock climbing accident near Idyllwild, Calif. He was 31 years old.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office on Thursday identified Escobar along with fellow climber Chelsea Walsh, 33. Firefighters found them dead after a rock climbing accident involving two people was reported around noon Wednesday near Tahquitz Rock in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Officials said Escobar and Walsh died on the spot while climbing a “rock face.”
A small amount of rain fell in the area earlier in the day, but officials did not immediately say whether the weather was a factor in the deaths.
Escobar was the Cowboys’ second-round pick in 2013 and spent three seasons with them. He also spent time with the Chiefs, Ravens, Browns and Dolphins. He last played in the NFL in 2018, finishing his career with 30 receptions and eight touchdowns.
Escobar had been working as a firefighter in Long Beach, Calif., since February. In a social media post, the Long Beach Fire Department said Escobar leaves behind a wife and two young children.
