San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard paid tribute to his younger brother Clayton Beathard on Instagram on Friday, nearly a week after he was fatally stabbed outside a Nashville bar.
"Clay has the biggest heart of anyone that I have ever known," Beathard wrote in a caption alongside pictures of him, Clayton and other members of their family. "Anyone that knows him knows this, he would do absolutely anything for the people he loves."
Clayton Beathard, 22, and his friend, 21-year-old Paul Trapeni III, were stabbed and killed in a fight early last Saturday morning outside the Dogwood Bar. A 23-year-old man was arrested this week and faces two counts of criminal homicide and one count of attempted criminal homicide, police said.
In his Instagram post, Beathard thanked everyone who had reached out to and prayed for his family.
"What happened is absolutely awful and has been and will continue to be the hardest things my family and I have had to go through," Beathard said. "But I can find some peace knowing that (Clayton) is at peace in heaven right now, and I know without a doubt God will bring a whole bunch of good out of this."
"Lastly," he added, "I will say to make sure you tell everyone you love that you love them as much as you can, because you have absolutely no idea when the last time you may talk to or see them again will be."
Police spokesman Don Aaron said the investigation shows the suspect made unwanted advances toward a friend of the victims. A verbal dispute ensued, which led to a fight outside the bar. That's when the suspect allegedly stabbed the victims with a sharp object.
Clayton Beathard and Trapeni were taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where they died, police said. Autopsies showed the men died of stab wounds, Aaron said.
Another 21-year-old was stabbed and hospitalized, but police have not released his identity.
