Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his jail cell early Wednesday morning after committing suicide, according to an official statement released by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. He was 27.
Hernandez reportedly hanged himself using a bedsheet that he tied to the window in his cell at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. He was discovered at approximately 3:05 a.m. and taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 4 a.m. According to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, Hernandez attempted to prevent guards from accessing his cell by jamming the door to it with several items. The Massachusetts State Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Hernandez's death comes less than a week after he was found not guilty of killing two men during a 2012 drive-by shooting. He was serving a life sentence in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder in 2015 for killing Odin Lloyd.
Coincidentally, Hernandez's death took place on the same day his former team, the Patriots, is scheduled to visit Donald Trump in the White House. The Patriots declined to comment on the news about Hernandez on Wednesday. "We are aware of the reports but don't anticipate that we will be commenting today," a Patriots spokesperson told the Boston Globe.
Prior to going to prison, Hernandez played tight end for the Patriots from 2010 through 2012. He is survived by his 4-year-old daughter Avielle Janelle Jenkins-Hernandez.
