Aaron Hernandez was a uniquely talented professional football player. He was also a convicted murderer who led a troubled life.
Hernandez hanged himself with a bed sheet on April 19, 2017 while serving a life sentence without parole eligibility in a Massachusetts jail. He was 27 years old.
Aaron Josef Hernandez was born in Bristol, Connecticut, on November 6, 1989. The Boston Globe reported in 2018 that Hernandez's home life was anything but stable.
According to the paper, Hernandez's parents, Dennis Hernandez and Terri Valentine-Hernandez, were constantly fighting, and both had been arrested and charged with committing crimes. CNN reported that Dennis Hernandez physically abused Aaron, as well as his older brother Dennis Jonathan Hernandez Jr. and their mother.
Aaron Hernandez played football and basketball and ran track while a student at Bristol High School.
After committing to the University of Connecticut football program, Hernandez opted to play for the University of Florida. He skipped his senior year to enter the NFL draft.
The New England Patriots selected Hernandez in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, just a day after drafting another notable tight end, Rob Gronkowski. On June 8. 2010, Hernandez signed a four-year, $2.37 million contract with the Patriots. Hernandez agreed to a five-year, $39.58 million contract extension in 2012.
Hernandez was linked to violent crimes in Florida, California and Massachusetts, including shootings and fights. However, it was the murder of Odin Leonard John Lloyd of Dorchester in North Attleboro on June 10, 2013 that was his undoing.
On April 15, 2015, Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole eligibility. His football career was over.
On April 19, 2017, after serving two years at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts, Hernandez hanged himself with a bedsheet,
ESPN and ABC News reported Hernandez was found with "John 3:16" written across his forehead in red ink. ESPN said the Bible verse reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
Initial reports indicated Hernandez left no suicide note. Later reports confirmed that there were three.