Aaron Hernandez has been formally charged with murder in connection with the execution-style slaying of one-time associate and semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez initially showed no emotion as prosecutors officially outlined the parameters of a first-degree murder charge that further alleges he and Lloyd quarreled during a June 14 visit to a Boston nightclub. Prosecutors also outlined captured footage that allegedly outlines Hernandez leaving his home with a weapon.
From there, police laid out a bruising timeline where they insist surveillance camera footage, text messages and accounts from witnesses culminate in neighbors hearing gunshots coming from the area of his North Attleborough mansion.
As Hernandez later wiped tears from his eyes and pleaded not guilty, the judge ordered him held without bail on charges that included at least five counts of unlawful possession of firearm.
The body of Lloyd, 27, was found June 17 in an industrial park about a mile away from the NFL star’s home. The death was soon ruled a homicide, with prosecutors insisting the fight was started by a dispute between the two over an earlier trip to a Boston nightclub.
Investigators insist that on June 17, Hernandez and two friends allegedly picked Lloyd up at his house at around 2:30 a.m. According to prosecutors, after being picked up Lloyd allegedly texted a family member asking, "Did you see who I am with." He then texted that it was Hernandez and followed it up with, "Just so you know."
Later that morning, between 3:23 a.m. and 3:27 a.m., employees who were working the overnight shift at the industrial park where Lloyd's body was found reported hearing gunshots.
"It is at bottom a circumstantial case; it’s not a strong case," Michael Fee, Hernandez's attorney, told the judge in requesting bail for his client. The 23-year-old Hernandez was arrested and handcuffed at his North Attleborough mansion early Wednesday morning. Less than two hours after the arrest, the Patriots announced they were releasing Hernandez.
"A young man was murdered last week and we extend our sympathies to the family and friends who mourn his loss. Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation. We realize that law enforcement investigations into this matter are ongoing. We support their efforts and respect the process. At this time, we believe this transaction is simply the right thing to do," a statement from the team read.
The Patriots drafted Hernandez in 2010. Last summer, the team gave Hernandez a five-year contract that is worth $40 million, including a signing bonus of $12.5 million.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
