Aaron Hernandez
| Aaron Hernandez | |
|---|---|
| Born: | November 6, 1989 Bristol, Connecticut |
| Died: | April 19, 2017 |
| Charges: | |
| Sentence: | Life in prison without parole |
| Facility: | Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center (Massachusetts State) |
| Status: | Deceased (suicide in prison, April 2017) |
Aaron Josef Hernandez (November 6, 1989 – April 19, 2017) was an American professional football player who played tight end for the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL). A former standout at the University of Florida, Hernandez's promising career ended abruptly when he was arrested and convicted of first-degree murder in the 2013 death of Odin Lloyd. He died by suicide in prison in 2017.
Background
Aaron Hernandez was born on November 6, 1989, in Bristol, Connecticut. He played college football at the University of Florida, where he was a consensus All-American tight end in 2009. Despite concerns about his character and failed drug tests, the New England Patriots selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
With the Patriots, Hernandez quickly became one of the league's most dynamic tight ends. Paired with Rob Gronkowski, the two formed a formidable duo. In 2011, Hernandez had 79 receptions for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns, helping the Patriots reach Super Bowl XLVI. In 2012, he signed a five-year, $40 million contract extension with the Patriots.
Criminal Case
Murder of Odin Lloyd
On June 17, 2013, Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée, was found shot to death in an industrial park near Hernandez's home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
Arrest and Charges
On June 26, 2013, Hernandez was arrested at his home and charged with first-degree murder and five weapons-related charges. The New England Patriots released him from the team within hours of his arrest, and the NFL terminated his contract.
Evidence against Hernandez included:
- Surveillance footage showing Lloyd entering Hernandez's car
- Text messages between Lloyd and his sister identifying Hernandez
- A gun matching the murder weapon found in the car of Hernandez's associate
- Surveillance footage from Hernandez's home showing him holding what appeared to be a firearm
Trial and Conviction
The murder trial began in January 2015. On April 15, 2015, Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder and five weapons charges. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
2012 Double Murder Trial
While serving his life sentence, Hernandez was also tried for the 2012 murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, who were shot in their car in Boston's South End following a confrontation at a nightclub. On April 14, 2017, Hernandez was acquitted of all charges in the double murder case.
Death
Five days after his acquittal in the double murder trial, on April 19, 2017, at approximately 3:05 a.m., Hernandez was found hanged in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. He had used a bedsheet attached to his cell window. He was 27 years old.
Conviction Vacated, Then Reinstated
Under Massachusetts legal principle of abatement ab initio, Hernandez's murder conviction was vacated in May 2017 because he died before his appeal could be heard. This meant Hernandez legally died an innocent man.
However, in March 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously ruled to reinstate Hernandez's conviction, declaring that the abatement principle was "outdated and no longer consonant with the circumstances of contemporary life."
CTE Diagnosis
After his death, researchers at Boston University examined Hernandez's brain and diagnosed him with severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The finding sparked discussions about the potential relationship between CTE and violent behavior, though no definitive causal link has been established.