Jail officials are reporting that former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, 27, was found hanging in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. The disgraced NFL star had just been acquitted last week of a 2012 double murder but was still incarcerated for a previous murder. Hernandez was serving life in prison without parole for the shooting death of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd in 2013.
Christopher Fallon, the assistant deputy commissioner of communications of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, sent out a message after Hernandez’s death on Wednesday: “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.”
