Raider Eric Turner Is Dead

Eric Turner, a former UCLA All-American and a two-time Pro Bowl safety, died Sunday at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks. He was 31.

Turner, from Ventura and an Oakland Raider since 1997, had denied reports that he was gravely ill.

The cause of death appeared to be complications of abdominal cancer, according to Craig Stevens, medical examiner at the Ventura County Coroner’s office.

Turner issued a statement on May 15 that reports concerning his illness were overstated.

“I realize people are concerned, but I have chosen to keep this issue within my family,” Turner said in the statement.

The Raiders refused to comment at the time, and Sunday a Raider official said the team would not comment until after hearing from Turner’s family.

Terry Donahue, Turner’s coach at UCLA who is the director of player personnel for the San Francisco 49ers, said late Sunday night that he had heard from a Raider official that Turner’s illness was serious.

“I talked with Eric when we played them in Oakland in the preseason,” Donahue said. “I sent him a letter a couple of weeks ago but don’t know if he ever got it.

“Eric was a good guy, a really nice person and a marvelous player, as good a Bruin football player as there ever was.”

Turner was the second overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, before they moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. It was the highest selection ever for a defensive back. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1994 after tying for the league lead with nine interceptions, including one he returned 93 yards for a touchdown. He made the Pro Bowl again in 1996.

Before the next season, Turner signed with the Raiders as a free agent, getting a four-year, $6-million contract. He led the team in tackles his first year with 111.

At Ventura High, he was a tailback and defensive back. As a senior tailback for Coach Harvey Kochel’s Cougars in 1985, he gained 988 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He also played basketball and was a sprinter and long jumper on the track team.

As a UCLA freshman, he had an 89-yard interception return against USC, but was tackled short of the end zone as the first half ended.