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 consensus All-American at the University of Florida, Hernandez was considered one of the most talented tight ends in the league during his brief career. His promising future ended abruptly in 2013 when he was arrested and charged with murder. Convicted of first-degree murder in 2015, Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He died by suicide in his prison cell in April 2017, just days after being acquitted of separate double murder charges. A posthumous examination of his brain revealed severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Early Life

Aaron Hernandez was born on November 6, 1989, in Bristol, Connecticut. He was a standout athlete from an early age, excelling in both football and basketball at Bristol Central High School.

Troubled Childhood

Hernandez's childhood was marked by trauma and dysfunction. His father, Dennis Hernandez, was a strict disciplinarian who reportedly beat Aaron as a child. Dennis died unexpectedly in January 2006 during routine hernia surgery when Aaron was 16 years old—an event often cited as a turning point in his life.

Additionally, Hernandez's attorneys later revealed that he had been sexually molested by a male babysitter as a child, an experience corroborated by his older brother, DJ Hernandez. This childhood trauma, combined with his father's abuse and sudden death, has been cited as potentially contributing to his later behavior.

Hernandez struggled with his sexuality throughout his life. After his death, evidence emerged suggesting he was gay or bisexual, which in the hyper-masculine environment of football may have contributed to significant psychological distress.

College Career

Hernandez enrolled at the University of Florida in 2007, where he played for the Florida Gators under coach Urban Meyer. Despite concerns about his maturity and off-field behavior—including failed drug tests—Hernandez emerged as one of the most dynamic tight ends in college football.

In 2008, as a sophomore, Hernandez caught a crucial touchdown pass in the BCS National Championship Game, helping Florida defeat Oklahoma 24-14. In 2009, he earned consensus first-team All-American honors.

Despite his talent, multiple off-field incidents raised red flags for NFL scouts, including a bar fight in which Hernandez allegedly punched a man, rupturing his eardrum.

NFL Career

Draft and Early Success

Due to concerns about his character and failed drug tests, Hernandez fell in the 2010 NFL Draft. The New England Patriots selected him in the fourth round with the 113th overall pick, despite having selected tight end Rob Gronkowski in an earlier round.

The combination of Hernandez and Gronkowski proved devastating. At just 20 years old, Hernandez became the youngest player in the NFL. In 2011, the pair became the first tight end duo in NFL history to each score at least five touchdowns in consecutive seasons for the same team.

2012 Contract Extension

Following an impressive 2011 season in which he caught 79 passes for 910 yards and 7 touchdowns, Hernandez signed a five-year, $40 million contract extension with the Patriots—one of the largest contracts ever given to an NFL tight end at that time.

In 2012, Hernandez scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVI, although the Patriots lost to the New York Giants.

The Murder of Odin Lloyd

The Victim

Odin Lloyd was a 27-year-old semi-professional football player who played linebacker for the Boston Bandits. Lloyd was dating Shaneah Jenkins, the sister of Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, which is how the two men became acquainted.

The Crime

On June 17, 2013, Lloyd's body was found in an industrial park in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, approximately one mile from Hernandez's home. He had been shot multiple times in the back and chest.

Surveillance footage showed Lloyd entering a car with Hernandez and two associates, Ernest Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, hours before his death. Text messages from Lloyd to his sister identified Hernandez as one of the men with him. Security cameras at Hernandez's home captured him holding what appeared to be a firearm shortly after the murder.

Arrest

On June 26, 2013, Hernandez was arrested at his home and charged with first-degree murder and five weapon-related charges. The New England Patriots released him from the team approximately 90 minutes later, before being officially informed of the specific charges.

Trial and Conviction

Hernandez's murder trial began in January 2015. The prosecution presented extensive circumstantial evidence, including surveillance footage, cell phone records, and testimony from associates. On April 15, 2015, the jury found Hernandez guilty of first-degree murder.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

2012 Double Homicide Trial

While serving his life sentence, Hernandez was indicted for the July 2012 murders of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, who were shot in their car in Boston's South End after an altercation at a nightclub.

On April 14, 2017, Hernandez was acquitted of all charges in the double murder case.

Death

Five days after his acquittal, 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.

Hernandez left no suicide note, but the walls of his cell were found marked with biblical verses and the phrase "John 3:16" written in blood.

Conviction Vacated, Then Reinstated

Under the Massachusetts legal doctrine of abatement ab initio, Hernandez's murder conviction was initially 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 the abatement doctrine "outdated and no longer consonant with the circumstances of contemporary life."

CTE Diagnosis

After Hernandez's death, his family donated his brain to researchers at Boston University's CTE Center. The examination revealed that Hernandez had Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)—the most severe case ever documented in someone his age.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma, common in contact sports athletes. Symptoms can include impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and dementia.

Dr. Ann McKee, director of the BU CTE Center, noted significant damage to Hernandez's frontal lobes, which are critical for decision-making, judgment, and impulse control. The findings prompted discussions about the potential relationship between CTE and violent behavior, though no definitive causal link has been established.

Legacy and Media

Hernandez's case has been the subject of extensive media coverage and analysis:

• Netflix Documentary: Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez (2020) explored his life, crimes, and the CTE findings
• FX Series: American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez (2024) dramatized his rise and fall

His case raised significant questions about:

• The NFL's handling of players with known behavioral issues
• The long-term effects of brain injuries in football
• The intersection of childhood trauma, sexuality, and violence

The case also highlighted the warning signs that may have been overlooked during Hernandez's rise through college and professional football, prompting discussions about how sports organizations evaluate character concerns versus athletic talent.

See Also

• High-Profile Federal Offenders