Juan Diego Gonzalez was a Philadelphia Union original who played seven games for the team during their inaugural 2010 season.

According to reports coming out his native Colombia, Gonzalez was murdered outside of Medellin, his death described as an assassination by Futbolred.com, which wrote this (via Google Translate) –

The former Colombian soccer player Juan Diego González was killed and his body was found on Thursday in terrible conditions. There is mourning and indignation in Colombian football, because apparently the way in which they killed the central exdefensor, at 39, is still a matter of investigation.

According to the first versions that have been leaked by police and witnesses, González Alzate was found in the municipality of Copacabana, Antioquia, 18 kilometers from Medellín. The former soccer player’s body would have been found dismembered in a sack, near the Medellín River.

The reasons for the cruel murder are still hypotheses that are already under investigation with friends and family of the former soccer player. Although the first version would be that Gonzalez was killed for reasons of money and a possible adjustment of accounts.

Sad story.

Gonzalez did not play a regular season game for the Union in 2011, though he did appear in some exhibition games  and was later released in November. I believe he then decided to retire.

Here’s a tweet confirming his death and offering condolences from Independiente Santa Fe, the club he played for in 2003 and 2004:

“Paz en su tumba” translates to “peace in your grave,” i.e. “rest in peace.”

RIP JDG.