updated 4:54 p.m. ET April 5, 2005

PHOENIX - Former Arizona State running back Loren Wade was indicted Tuesday for first-degree murder in the death of another former player.

A grand jury in Maricopa County indicted the 21-year-old for the March 26 shooting death of Brandon Falkner, 25.

Witnesses told police they saw Wade approach Falkner’s car and exchange words with him before a single gunshot rang out.

Falkner, a defensive back, was a three-year letterman who saw action in 26 games for the Sun Devils from 1999 to 2001.

Wade, from Los Angeles, started the first three games for Arizona State as a sophomore last season, then was suspended for the remainder of the schedule while the school investigated whether he received improper benefits from a university employee.

The university found that an assistant in the school’s compliance and recruitment department put her name on a line of credit to pay an overdue utility bill for Wade. The compliance officer was fired.

As a redshirt freshman in 2003, Wade broke the school freshman rushing record and finished fifth in the Pac-10 with 773 yards and an average of 5.7 yards per carry.

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