Star athlete's killer was family friend, says McEachern High official

Clifton Steger was no stranger to the Bennett family. He was at McEachern High two weeks ago when 18-year-old football star Rajaan Bennett signed his letter of intent to play at Vanderbilt.

Enlarge photo Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com Jessica Motley, 18, a senior classmate, places flowers on a poster as high school students and football players attend for a prayer vigil for McEachern High School football star Rajaan Bennett at Powder Springs Park on Thursday.

Enlarge photo Johnny Crawford, jcrawford@ajc.com McEachern's Rajaan Bennett (5) races down the sideline against East Paulding Sept. 19, 2009. Bennett had signed earlier this month to play football for Vanderbilt.

Enlarge photo John Spink, jspink@ajc.com McEachern High school student Kenyon Barnwell (right) boards his ride to school after hearing from his grandmother that schoolmate football star Rajaan Bennett had died from a domestic incident 2-doors down from where he lives.

Enlarge photo John Spink, AJC Powder Springs Police Maj. Charles Spann at the scene of the fatal on Woodcrest Drive in Powder Springs.

" was introduced as a friend to the family," said McEachern Athletics Director Jimmy Dorsey. But sometime last week Rajaan's mother, Narjaketha Bennett, broke up with Steger, a 39-year-old carpenter who'd lived much of his life in Detroit.

"He was out for revenge," said Dorsey, who told the AJC he had talked with Powder Springs Police and Rajaan's family earlier Thursday. Steger allegedly broke into the Bennett's home on Woodcrest Drive just southwest of downtown Powder Springs.

Rajaan's younger sister Narcharlette, a middle schooler, quietly called 911 around 2:30 a.m. to report Steger's intrusion, Dorsey said. Four minutes later police arrived and "as they approached and knocked on the door, they heard several gunshots," Powder Springs Police Maj. Charles Spann told the AJC.

http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/star-athlete-s-killer-311184.html