by: Steven Yablonski Updated: Apr 19, 2017 - 4:55 PM
BOSTON - Convicted killer and former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez was found hanged in his prison cell early Wednesday morning, according to officials.
Officials said Hernandez was found hanging in his cell by corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley around 3:05 a.m.
A source tells FOX25's Bob Ward that Hernandez had written "John 3:16" on his forehead in red marker and left a bible in his cell open to that verse. The source initially said the bible verse was written in blood, but that information is not correct.
FOX 25 NEWS AARON HERNANDEZ COVERAGE...
• Aaron Hernandez found hanged in cell
• Hernandez lawyer, agent dispute suicide claims, want full investigation
• Legal Analyst: Hernandez suicide likely to affect Lloyd murder conviction
• Hernandez had troubled history at facility before suicide
• THE LATEST from The Associated Press
• Patriots still heading to White House despite Aaron Hernandez's suicide
• Lawsuits against Aaron Hernandez can move forward next month
• Aaron Hernandez found not guilty of South End double murders
• PHOTOS: Aaron Hernandez double murder trial
• Aaron Hernandez timeline: From Odin Lloyd's death to present
Officers immediately began to render life-saving techniques before Hernandez was taken to UMass Leominster where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m.
Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population housing unit when he was found hanging from a bed sheet that he had attached to his cell window, according to officials.
Also, officials said, Hernandez tried to block his cell door from the inside by jamming it with several items preventing it from being opened.
A prison spokesperson told The Associated Press that it's unclear if Hernandez left a note before Hernandez hanged himself in his cell and stressed that the investigation is still fluid and ongoing.
The Associated Press also reported that prison officials had no concerns that Hernandez was planning to kill himself. If so, the Associated Press reported, he would have been taken to a mental health unit.
Massachusetts State Police are still investigating.
FOX25's Blair Miller said the New England Patriots are aware of Hernandez's suicide but would not be commenting on it Wednesday while the team is at the White House celebrating its Super Bowl win.
UPDATE: officials say #AaronHernandez tried jamming his cell door from the inside with various items. Pronounced dead at UMass Leominster. — Heather Hegedus (@HeatherHegedus) April 19, 2017
Hernandez was serving a life-sentence for killing Odin Lloyd in 2013.
He was acquitted Friday in a 2012 double killing in the South End that prosecutors said Hernandez committed after one of the men allegedly spilled a drink on him.
#AaronHernandez 2015 prison letter, "make a noose, tie it from a railing... put your neck through it, make sure it's very tight and jump" — Ted Daniel (@tvnewzted) April 19, 2017
Stay with FOX25 on-air and online for the latest on this breaking news story.
sues2nd on April 19th, 2017 at 14:43 UTC »
Not sure if this has been explained yet but...
So out here in Boston there is a local sports talk radio show called Toucher & Rich. Last hour they had on a law professor and a lawyer to explain what's going on and why he probably did it.
Because his murder conviction is in appeal, and his recent gun charge will go into appeal...now that he is dead, those appeals cannot be heard and those convictions will be vacated. And while this doesn't help with the civil suits his family/estate will face from the victims families, it does make it so that officially Aaron Hernandez does not have any convictions under his name.
Now what that means in the grand scheme of things is his family is now technically entitled to his NFL pension, his signing bonus and any other money the Patriots owe him. I'm sure they will fight it but it gives the family a leg to stand on.
This happened in the case of the Catholic Priest that touched all those kids. Father Goggins I think his name was. Convicted, appealed, offed himself and they vacated the convictions. The families still were able to bring civil charges but he officially never got convicted.
TL;DR - Hernandez convictions will be vacated now, he is no longer a felon and is owed his nfl pension, his signing bonus and more money that will all technically go to his family.
DiabloCenturion on April 19th, 2017 at 11:12 UTC »
Well there goes the prison football team.
mikestorm on April 19th, 2017 at 10:57 UTC »
Why did he wait till after the trial I wonder?