Jury selection for a murder trial involving Curtis Lovelace, former Illinois football player, began Monday in Quincy, Illinois.

Lovelace was a member of the Illini football team, starting as center for three-years and even serving as team captain.

Lovelace, who previously served as a prosecutor and defense lawyer in Quincy, is facing a first degree murder charge for the death of his wife, Cory Lovelace, who died on February 14, 2006.

According to a report from the Associate Press, Lovelace was not charged until 2014 when a Quincy detective decided to revisit the case.

When Cory died in 2006, Lovelace told police he found her dead after returning from dropping three of their four children off at school. He said she had “flu-like” symptoms for several days but an investigator said Lovelace never called 911 or attempted to resuscitate his wife, the Associated Press reported.

An initial autopsy was inconclusive in determining Cory’s cause of death but subsequent pathology tests and photographic evidence later revealed she died from suffocation.

There are a total of 72 potential jurors, 22 of whom were called into the jury box on Monday. Seven of the 22 were excused; including one person who may have had a conflict of interest.

The trial is expected to run through the first week in February, according to the Associated Press.

Robin Kaler, campus spokeswoman, could not be immediately reached for comment.