Donte Whitner tells Aldon Smith’s family: call Spillman

Former NFL safety Donte Whitner says he received early texts and FaceTimes from ex-teammates the day Aldon Smith died, and he urged Smith’s family’s lawyers to contact C.J. Spillman—while also pointing to Anthony Davis as someone they should speak with. Whitne

Aldon Smith’s death last Saturday at age 36 has set off an investigation effort led by Smith’s family—who have hired three lawyers to probe what happened that day.

The situation has now gained a new, intensely specific lead from one of Smith’s former teammates. Speaking on The Grit Code Podcast. former NFL safety Donte Whitner described messages and video calls from ex-teammates soon after Smith died. and he singled out C.J. Spillman as someone he believes can answer questions.

“The day that Aldon died, I received text messages, phone calls, FaceTimes from some of our ex-teammates,” Whitner said. He added that some of what he saw left him “disgusting,” before describing a call from Spillman early in the morning.

“Now, I’m gonna go ahead and say it. C.J. Spillman called me. Six a.m. Bali time,” Whitner said. “And he put me on FaceTime, and he was showing me pictures of Aldon slumped over in the front seat. Aldon, laying on the ground in front of the vehicle that he was traveling in . . . with all the shit hooked up to his body, pretty much deceased.”.

Whitner said the material he was shown was circulating beyond him, and he urged Smith’s family’s legal team to ensure they contact the people he believes played a role in what he saw and when.

“So. I saw that Aldon’s family is hiring private investigators. lawyers. to investigate what actually happened that day. and I hope that they listen to this so they can understand and know who to contact. ” Whitner said. “First and foremost, C.J. Spillman should have a lot of answers for you. And Anthony Davis as well.”.

Whitner acknowledged Anthony Davis appeared in the images, though he offered no direct accusation. “Anthony Davis was in the pictures, looking over Aldon,” he said. “So I want to say that he probably didn’t have anything to do with it, but whoever was there, they had something to do with it.”

Whitner also said he was heartbroken and described the personal toll of seeing the images. “And it broke my heart,” he said. “I really didn’t want to even speak on the subject, but I have to. And knowing me, I have to tell the truth. I have to say what I saw because it’s traumatizing. I had nightmares two nights in a row after seeing those videos, and after seeing those pictures.”.

He then returned to the specifics of his communications with Spillman, saying Spillman had called him and told him Aldon Smith was unresponsive and might not survive.

“[C.J. Spillman] called me, and he said, ‘Did you hear what happened to Aldon?’” Whitner said. “I said, ‘No, call me.’ He called me on the phone. He said. ‘Well. Aldon was — he was unresponsive. and they said that he might not survive and he’s on his way to the hospital.’ And then he said. you know. ‘FaceTime me.’ And then I FaceTimed him and . . . he showed me, and the man’s body, leaning over in the front seat, then he swiped to the side.”.

Whitner said the FaceTime shifted to a wider view showing Aldon Smith on the ground near the SUV while emergency services were present. “Then he showed him in the front of the vehicle. the SUV that they were traveling in. on the ground with the EMS. with everything hooked up to him. and then he . . . told me, ‘I think that Aldon is dead,’ right?” Whitner said. “After showing me that.”.

Whitner questioned why the pictures existed in the first place. saying he could not understand why someone would take or share the images. “And then I’m thinking, like, ‘Why the fuck do you have these pictures?. Who the fuck is taking these pictures?’” he said. “And then you see Anthony Davis . . . in there, you see everybody else in the EMS, and [Aldon] laying on the ground is fucking disgusting.”.

Smith’s family, meanwhile, has hired three lawyers to investigate the circumstances surrounding his passing.

Whitner’s comments have also been framed online in headlines suggesting he was “hints at foul play,” but the substance of his message, as he delivered it, is directed more narrowly: the lawyers and investigators investigating Smith’s death should contact C.J. Spillman and Anthony Davis.

C.J. Spillman played for the 49ers from 2010 through 2013. Anthony Davis played for the 49ers from 2010 through 2014, and in 2016.

Aldon Smith Donte Whitner C.J. Spillman Anthony Davis 49ers NFL investigation The Grit Code Podcast death investigation EMS