Ex-New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez charged with murder

Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been charged with one count murder and five weapons charges in connection with the murder of a semi-pro football player, Odin Lloyd. Lloyd’s body was found in an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez home.

Lloyd’s family says he and Hernandez were friends and that Lloyd’s girlfriend is Hernandez’s fiancee. Lloyd was shot multiple times in the back and chest. Prosecutors were able to retrieve text messages and some of the footage from the home security camera as well as a camera in the area where Lloyd was found. Hernandez attempted to destroy his cell phone and his home surveillance equipment and hired a cleaning crew for his home the morning following Lloyd’s death.

They believe Hernandez was upset with Lloyd after the two had a dispute at a nightclub a few days before. There is mention of Hernandez stating “you can’t trust everybody anymore” before going to pick up Lloyd and later returning to his home with a hand gun. The timeline based off of cell phone tower pings, text messages indicates they drove around the city, stopped to pick up weed, before arriving at the industrial park where Lloyd’s body was found.

Lloyd was shot while laying on the ground. He had multiple gunshot wounds to the side, arms, and chest, including two shots to the chest. There were tire impressions at the scene that matched Hernandez rental car. There were shell casings in the rental car Hernandez paid for that match those found at the scene. There has been no murder weapon discovered yet.

Last summer he signed a $40 million contract with the Patriots. The Patriots released him this morning at around 10:00 AM EST. Hernandez received a $12.5 million signing bonus. Of that he’s already been paid $9 million. The court denied him bail.

While it’s a lot of circumstantial evidence, it doesn’t sound good. The other two men that were with Henandez and Lloyd that night have not been charged with anything at the moment.