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The murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has ended with the jury finding him guilty of first degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
For more on the Aaron Hernandez verdict:
For more on the Aaron Hernandez verdict:
Hernandez was arrested on June 26, 2013 on first-degree murder charges in the death of Odin Lloyd. Police had found the body of Lloyd in an industrial park near Hernandez's hom on June 17. Along with Hernandez, two other men, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace, were also charged in the murder. Prosecutors had indicated that the three men drove Lloyd to the industrial park after some disagreement. There, they shot Lloyd six times and left his body. Police began focusing on Hernandez as a potential suspect shortly after the discovery of Lloyd's death, searching the tight end's home on June 18.
Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee at the time of the murder.
Along with the first-degree murder charge, Hernandez was also found guilty on charges of carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition with a firearms identification card, possession of a firearm with a firearms identification card, and two counds ot carrying a large-capacity firearm.
Hernandez was the Patriots' fourth-round selection in the 2010 Draft out of Florida, where he was close friends with Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey. In three seasons in the NFL, he recorded 175 receptions for 1,956 yards with 18 touchdowns. He also ran the ball nine times for 97 yards.
The team released him immediately upon his arrest. They also held a jersey exchange day, allowing anyone who had purchased a Hernandez jersey to return it to the team's Pro Shop in exchange for another player's jersey.
Hernandez has also been indicted on charges of killing Daniel Abreu and Safiro Furtado in July 2012. Hernandez alledgedly was involved in an altercation in a club with the men, then left and waited for them outside. As they, along with several others, drove away, Hernandez, according to the indictment, fired a weapon into their vehicle. Hernandez is facing murder charges, as well as attempted murder charges for the other passengers in the car.