(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Convicted murderer and former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his Massachusetts prison cell on the morning of Wednesday, April 19, just days after he was acquitted in a separate murder case. Hernandez killed himself the day his former team, the New England Patriots, are scheduled to visit the White House for their Super Bowl Visit.
The 27-year-old former NFL star hung himself with a bedsheet attached to a window in his Souza-Baranowski prison cell in Shirley, Massachusettes. Hernandez’s body was found at 3:05 AM on Wednesday morning.
The corrections department released a statement on Hernandez’s death saying, “Lifesaving techniques were attempted on Mr. Hernandez, and he was transported to UMass Leominster, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 A.M.”
#BREAKING: Former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez kills himself in prison https://t.co/EmG8C6UKtK pic.twitter.com/4yGQRe2BMR
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 19, 2017
Hernandez, who was already serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Odin Lloyd, was facing murder charges for the deaths of Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu, two men killed in a drive-by shooting outside of a Boston nightclub.
To the surprise of many, Hernandez was found not guilty of the murder charges on Friday, April 14, though he was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm. He was convicted on just one of eight charges he was facing.
According to CNN, Hernandez was visibly emotional when Friday’s verdicts were read, embracing his attorneys with tears in his eyes. One of his attorneys said Hernandez was relieved about the verdict.
Hernandez is survived by his one daughter, Avielle Janelle Hernandez, who was born November 6, 2012.
Aaron Hernandez Cause Of Death: How Did NFL Tight End Die?
Suicide by hanging.
Aaron Hernandez died from hanging himself with a bedsheet in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Massachusettes.
About Aaron Hernandez
Hernandez, a fourth-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, had a promising career ahead of him. Hernandez signed a five-year, $40 million contract in 2012, a year before his June 2013 arrest for Lloyd’s death.
Aaron Josef Hernandez, born November 6, 1989, was an American football tight end and convicted murderer who played college football at the University of Florida.
At Florida, he was a member of a BCS National Championship team and was recognized as an All-American. He was then drafted by the NFL’s New England Patriots as the 15th pick in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
On August 22, 2013, Hernandez was indicted by a grand jury for the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player, in June 2013. On April 15, 2015, he was found guilty of first-degree murder in the Lloyd case and sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.
On May 15, 2014, Hernandez was indicted for the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. On April 14, 2017, he was found not guilty of the double homicide, but continued serving a life sentence for the murder of Lloyd.
Hernandez committed suicide just a few days later, hanging himself with a bedsheet in his prison cell on Wednesday, April 19.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcmDzLNh6w0
Official statement from the Department of Correction regarding the death of Aaron Hernandez:
On April 19, 2017 Aaron Hernandez was discovered hanged in his cell by corrections officers at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley Massachusetts at approximately 3:05 a.m., lifesaving techniques were attempted on Mr. Hernandez and he was transported to UMASS Leominster where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m. by a physician at the hospital. Mr. Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population housing unit. Mr. Hernandez hanged himself utilizing a bed sheet that he attached to his cell window. Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items. The Massachusetts State Police are on scene and the investigation continues. Mr. Hernandez’s next of kin have been notified.
Aaron Hernadez Career Highlights
After originally committing to play football at the University of Connecticut with his brother, Hernandez ultimately decided to play for the University of Florida.
As a freshman in 2007, Hernandez started three games for the Florida Gators. He finished the season with nine receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2008, he started 11 of 13 games in place of the injured Cornelius Ingram and finished the season with 34 receptions for 381 yards and five touchdowns. In the 2009 BCS National Championship Game against the Oklahoma Sooners, Hernandez led the Gators in receiving yards with 57 on five receptions, as the Gators defeated the Sooners 24–14 to win their second BCS championship in three seasons.
As a junior in 2009, Hernandez won the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s best tight end, after leading the team in receptions with 68 for 850 yards and five touchdowns. He was also a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection and was recognized as a first-team All-American by the Associated Press.
After his junior year, Hernandez entered the 2010 NFL Draft, where he was drafted by New England. Hernandez finished his college career with 111 receptions for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZp7xjIyAb4
Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Boston Globe reported from multiple sources that Hernandez admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop. The Patriots released a statement from Hernandez, who said he had failed only one drug test while in college and was candid about it to interested teams at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Hernandez, who played for the Patriots for three years before being charged wit Odin Lloyd’s murder, finished his NFL career with 175 catches for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns.
