Murder at The U – Episode 3: “Everybody’s a Suspect”

Podcast: Murder at The U
Host: ESPN (Paula Levine)
Release Date: February 17, 2026

Overview

This episode dives deep into the aftermath of Bryan Pata’s 2006 murder and the sprawling, tangled web of potential motives, suspects, and secrets that surrounded his life and death. The episode focuses on the initial chaos within the University of Miami football team, the investigation’s earliest leads, and the reporters’ years-long efforts to unravel the mysteries of Pata’s finances, feuds, and associations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Immediate Aftermath: Shock, Suspicion, and Rumors

• Team Trauma: The Hurricanes are devastated after Pata’s murder. Players and coaches assemble at the athletic center to hear the grim news.

  • [01:34] Dwayne "Cat" Hendricks, Pata’s roommate, arrives at the meeting, covered in blood, breaking down—making the team realize the gravity of the loss.
  • [02:19] “It was rough. Guys were really upset. I mean, the upset is an understatement, you know, furious, full of rage.” — Anonymous teammate.
  • [02:43] Even coaches are shattered. Defensive line coach Clint Hurt is too distraught to console others.

• The Absent Player: [03:12] The team immediately notices someone missing from the mandatory meeting—a fact that will become central to the investigation.

• Rumor Mill: Misinformation flourishes—speculation about drive-bys and unknown assailants.

2. Unreliable Memories and Investigative Challenges

• Memory as a Messy Record: [03:12] Paula Levine highlights the challenge of reconstructing events through fallible human memory, especially over a decade later.

• First Big Break—The Phone Call:

  • [04:34–06:49] Chris Zellner, former teammate, recalls overhearing Pata in a heated phone call an hour or so before the murder, telling someone:
    • “If you want it, man, come see me.” – Bryan Pata (overheard by Chris Zellner)
  • [07:00] Zellner immediately requests to speak to police, believing the call to be crucial.

• Did Police Follow Up?:

  • [55:33] Despite Zellner’s report, detectives never document or appear to investigate this call, possibly missing a critical lead.

3. Following the Money: Who Was Funding Bryan’s Lifestyle?

• Pata's Financial Mystery:

  • [15:32] Pata had large amounts of cash, an Infiniti, and expensive car-flipping hobbies—despite NCAA rules and no apparent job.
  • Family and friends were suspicious and in the dark about where the money came from.
  • “He had $14,000 cash in the car. And I said, something ain't right.” — Brian’s brother Fednall ([16:24])
  • He often referred to his mysterious benefactor as “my guy” or “uncle.”

• Nevin Shapiro – Corrupt Booster:

  • [20:49–25:37] Shapiro, later convicted for running a Ponzi scheme, admits to giving players cash, food, and perks, but claims only to have given small amounts to Pata.
  • “He was one of my guys. I was there on call if he ever needed me... never anything more than 2, 300 bucks.” — Shapiro ([25:29])
  • Shapiro was possibly the “Uncle” mentioned by some, but the amounts don’t add up to Pata’s apparent income.

• Sean Shanazi – Club Owner & ‘Unk’:

  • [27:18–28:53] Many players, including Pata, called club impresario Sean Shanazi “Unk.” Shanazi acknowledges giving Bryan food, covering shopping trips, and paying part of his funeral expenses.
  • “If it was short, you know, it's me... I would just buy it, and he would go with me...” — Shanazi ([27:53])

• Ollie Adam – Gang Connection:

  • [34:39–37:33] Ollie Adam, co-founder of the Zo Pound gang, claims to have given Pata thousands.
    • “All the time... here, go three grand. Four grand, flip this...” — Adam ([37:18])
  • Neither Pata’s family nor other close friends knew of a connection to Adam—raising doubts but providing a plausible explanation for Bryan’s unexplained wealth.

4. Dangerous Associations: Clubs, Fights, and Gangs

• Nightclub Brawl & Threats:

  • [29:45–31:05] Six months before the murder, Pata and teammate Willie Williams are involved in a nightclub fight in Coconut Grove, possibly against members of the Westside Boys gang.
  • “We're going to get you.” — Threat allegedly shouted as Pata and Williams leave ([30:43])

• Rumors of Retaliation:

  • [31:38–32:13] Quarterback Kyle Wright recounts how Pata was threatened but believed if his antagonists “were killers, they would have got me then.”

• Zo Pound and Westside Boys:

  • [34:39–39:55] Adam affirms that Pata wasn’t a member nor drug dealer for Zo Pound, but used the connection for protection and social currency.
  • Adam acknowledges being asked for help after club fights—suggesting Pata’s statement “my people know their people” might have referred to him.

• Did the Club Fight Motivate the Murder?:

  • [32:30–33:00] Investigators and associates consider—then mostly discount—the theory that the Westside Boys retaliated, with Willie Williams and others leaving Miami soon after.

5. The Personal Angle: The Girlfriend and Family Tensions

• The Jada Brody Relationship:

  • [45:12–49:53] Pata’s relationship with Jada, his girlfriend, was fraught and—according to the police report—abusive.
    • “[She] bad news, man. She toxic, man. He's like, don't worry about it. I'm gonna leave her anyway.” — Edwin, Bryan’s brother ([47:53])
  • Both families reportedly disapproved; Pata planned to end the relationship after the season.

• Jada’s Family & Possible Threats:

  • [50:11–50:21] After a breakup, Pata allegedly receives a threatening call from a Brody family member. Pata’s sister remembers him sleeping armed, afraid.
  • Jada’s twin brother, Jerome Brody, with a criminal record, refuses to cooperate with police and denies knowing Pata.
  • Some—including former prosecutor Herbert Walker—see this domestic angle as the most plausible motive.
    • “That of all the different theories I've heard, gangs and the incident at the club, I thought that that made the most sense.” — Herbert Walker ([53:21])

6. The Overlooked Evidence and Detective Work

• Police Investigation Missteps:

  • [14:11] The police report is nearly 200 pages, heavily redacted, and investigators are reticent, citing an “open” case.
  • [39:05] Detectives admit they did not examine Pata’s bank records, nor did they appear to follow certain leads on his financial backers.

• The Overheard Phone Call – Still Unsolved:

  • [54:56–55:45] Chris Zellner and campus security pass along details of the angry call Pata received hours before his death.
  • Detective Dominguez does not recall the call being documented; phone log evidence is inconclusive since Pata had multiple phones.

7. A Cloud of Suspicion: Everybody’s a Suspect

• Theories Multiply, Answers Elude: The episode details multiple credible leads but shows how each ultimately stops short.

• The Missing Teammate:

  • [58:40] At the team’s emergency meeting, only one player is missing—fueling further speculation.
  • “[T]he man kind of just went missing.” — Chris Zellner

• Teammates Suspect a Teammate:

  • [58:59] “Yeah, people speculated that stuff from day one...it was a teammate.” — Anonymous teammate

• Foreshadowing—Focus Shifts to Rashawn Jones:

  • [59:07] Levine signals the coming focus on accused teammate Rashawn Jones in the next episode.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“If you want it, man, come see me.”
— Bryan Pata (overheard by Chris Zellner, [06:07])

“At that moment...I was not in the mental State to be a guy, to pull guys together. ... I wanted vengeance.”
— Coach Clint Hurt ([02:43])

“If it was short, you know, it's me. ... it was just somebody that I cared about.”
— Sean Shanazi, on bestowing cash or meals to Bryan ([27:57])

“All the time...here, go three grand. Four grand, flip this.”
— Ollie Adam, on giving money to Pata ([37:18])

“Did Brian beat up Jada at some point and the brother was gonna get revenge? That resonated with me more completely...that motive shops.”
— Herbert Walker, former prosecutor ([53:21])

“Yeah, people speculated that stuff from day one...it was a teammate.”
— Anonymous Hurricane, on rumors of the killer’s identity ([58:59])

Key Timestamps

• [01:34–02:43] – Emotional team meeting & immediate grief
• [04:34–07:00] – Chris Zellner’s overheard phone call
• [15:32–18:07] – The mystery of Bryan’s finances and “Uncle”
• [20:49–25:37] – Nevin Shapiro’s admissions about paying players
• [27:18–28:53] – Sean Shanazi’s paternal relationship with Bryan
• [34:39–37:33] – Ollie Adam describes his financial help to Pata
• [45:12–53:21] – The Jada Brody relationship and family suspicions
• [54:56–55:45] – Police drop the ball on critical phone call
• [58:40–59:07] – Missing teammate at meeting and shift to next episode’s focus

Episode Tone

• Investigative and Reflective: The language is precise, patient, and factual, with flashes of raw emotion in recollections.
• Candid Reporting: Primary sources, direct quotes, and skepticism about official narratives predominate.
• Haunted by Doubt: Many lines are delivered with a sense of frustration—at memory, bureaucracy, and the unsolved status.

Conclusion

“Everybody’s a Suspect” traces the heartbreaking, bewildering years following Bryan Pata’s murder. The episode explores fractured relationships, hidden motives, botched police work, and the underground world of college football, ultimately setting the stage for the next chapter—when rumors and leads finally coalesce around one of Pata’s own teammates.