Ex-NFL Star Aaron Hernandez Commits Suicide in Prison
On Wednesday morning, ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his prison cell. He was serving a life sentence for murder.
Guards found Hernandez, age 27, in the cell around 3 a.m., and he had apparently hung himself. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour after being found.
Hernandez, originally from Bristol, Conn., played college football at the University of Florida. During his time at Florida, the Gators won the 2008 NCAA Championship.
Hernandez was a 2010 fourth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots. His most productive season was 2011, where he recorded 79 receptions for 910 yards and seven touchdowns. He played in Super Bowl 46, where the Patriots were defeated by the New York Giants, 21-17. His last NFL appearance was the 2012 AFC Championship game, where the Patriots lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 28-13.
The Patriots released Hernandez in June 2013, after he was arrested for shooting and killing Odin Lloyd. Lloyd was a semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiance. He was later convicted and sentenced to life without parole.
This was not the only shooting Hernandez was involved in. Hernandez was also investigated for a double homicide that occurred in 2012 that resulted in the deaths of Daniel Jorge Correia de Abreu and Safiro Teixeria Furtado. In 2014, he was indicted on murder charges for these killings, but just a few days ago he was acquitted of these charges. He was, however, found guilty of an illegal possession of a hand gun.
In early 2013, Alexander S. Bradley was apparently shot in the head by Hernandez following an altercation at a Miami strip club. Bradley filed a lawsuit against Hernandez in June 2013, but the case was dismissed because of incorrect paperwork.
April 15, 2015 was the official date where Hernandez was found guilty of murdering Lloyd and was given a life sentence.
Hernandez leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter. In 2006, when Hernandez was 16, his father died from complications from a hernia surgery. It has been well documented that his father’s death had a severe impact on Hernandez’s life that affected him in a very negative way.
Ironically, the suicide occurs on the same day that the Patriots are scheduled to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl 51 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
