Aaron Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, speaks out for the first time, since the NFL star’s death.
During an upcoming episode of Dr. Phil (set to air in two parts on May 15 and May 16), Jenkins-Hernandez, who shares a 4-year-old daughter, Avielle, with the former New England Patriots player, revealed she thought the suicide was a hoax.
Previously reported, Hernandez, 27, was serving a life sentence for murdering an acquaintance, Odin Lloyd, when he was discovered dead in his jail cell, after committing suicide by hanging.
“I got a call at 5:27 a.m. in the morning from some official at [the] prison and he informed me, informed me that indeed Aaron was deceased and at first I thought it was a hoax,” Jenkins-Hernandez said in an excerpt from the interview released this week. “I thought that this was some cruel person, that it was a cruel person playing a trick on me.”
She also revealed that her last conversation provided no hint Hernandez was contemplating taking his life — [the conversation] “had nothing to do with suicidal thoughts,” she continued.
Court papers released last week contained a suicide note written by Hernandez. “Shay, you have always been my soul-mate and I want you to live life and know I’m always with you. I told you what was coming indirectly!” he wrote to Jenkins-Hernandez. “Tell my story fully but never think anything besides how much I love you. This was the supremes [sic], the almighty’s plan, not mine! I love you! Let [redacted] know how much I love her! Look after [redacted] and [redacted] for me — those are my boys (You’re Rich).”
On Tuesday, a Massachusetts judge set aside Hernandez’s conviction. Per state law, the footballer died before he exhausted the appeals process. The decision paves the way for the Patriots to possibly issue payments to his family. In 2012, he signed a $40 million contract extension. However, in 2013, following his arrest, the Patriots denied him a signing bonus payment.
In another excerpt from the Dr. Phil interview, McGraw asks Jenkins-Hernandez, “Did he kill himself so that you could collect $6.5 million?” However, Jenkins-Hernandez’s answer was not disclosed.
