More Trouble For Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been indicted by a grand jury on charges related to his role in a July 2012 double murder in Boston’s South End, according to multiple news outlets.

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Michael Parente

There’s more than meets the eye to the maddening saga that is the Aaron Hernandez murder case.

The former New England Patriots tight end, who is currently behind bars awaiting trail on a first-degree murder charge stemming from the 2013 shooting death of Odin Lloyd, has now been indicted by a grand jury on charges related to his role in a double homicide in Boston in July of 2012, according to a report by ESPN.

Shortly after police began searching Hernandez’s home in North Attleboro following the discovery of Lloyd’s body, news broke that law enforcement officials were also investigating Hernandez for the double murder that occurred in 2012 in which two men from Dorchester were shot to death while in their vehicle.

Two weeks later, Hernandez was arrested at his house and released by the Patriots within the next two hours. Later that day, the former Pro Bowl tight end was charged with first-degree murder in addition to five gun-related charges. Lloyd, a semi-pro football player and an alleged friend of Hernandez who also dated Hernandez’s fiancée’s sister, was found dead within a mile of Hernandez’s home.

A week after Hernandez’s arrest, two other men were arrested in connection with Lloyd’s death. One of them, Carlos Ortiz, has been indicted on an accessory charge. According to published reports, prosecutors suggest both men were with Hernandez at the time of Lloyd’s death. Hernandez’s fiancée and cousin have also been charged as accessories to murder.

This bizarre case also includes an alleged incident in February of 2013 in which a man described as a friend of Hernandez claims Hernandez shot him in the face while the two were driving in Palm Beach County following an altercation at a strip club. Prosecution in this case has been postponed per order of the federal court until Hernandez’s murder charges are resolved.

Hernandez played three seasons with the Patriots from 2010 to 2012. They drafted him in the fourth round in 2010, considered by many to be a steal assuming Hernandez could curtail his questionable off-the-field behavior, which presumably led to his stock dropping considerably prior to the draft. In three NFL seasons, Hernandez caught 175 passes and 18 touchdowns, teaming with Rob Gronkowski to form the most dependable, explosive tight-end tandem in the NFL. In 2011, they combined to set records for yardage, receptions and touchdowns for tight ends on one team.

Prosecutors believe the murder of Lloyd stems from trust issues between Lloyd and Hernandez. The Massachusetts State Police obtained a search warrant to investigate Hernandez’s home after evidence surfaced suggesting Hernandez destroyed his home security system. Hernandez also reportedly turned in a broken cell phone as evidence and hired a cleaning crew at his home the day after Lloyd’s body was discovered in an industrial park.