Patriots tight end linked to homicide

A former University of Florida football player and a current NFL player, has now been connected to a murder investigation.  

The body of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was found approximately one mile outside of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez’s Massachusetts home at approximately 5:30 p.m. last Monday, according to ABC News.

Lloyd’s body was found  by a young jogger in clearing, shot in the back of the head, and an autopsy confirmed his death to be a homicide. Lloyd’s family told the Associated Press that Lloyd and Hernandez were friends.

Police estimate that Lloyd was killed between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. and was found by a young jogger whose identity remains anonymous, according to ABC News.

Law enforcement and other sources reported that Hernandez’s security system, which had video surveillance, was intentionally smashed, as well as his cell phone, which was handed to investigators in pieces.

Hernandez also hired a cleaning crew Monday to scrub his residence, according to the New York Daily News and several other news outlets. The behavior initiated a search warrant as well as a charge for obstruction of justice charge. 

While police have searched Hernandez’s home multiple times, according to both ESPN and the NFL, including a 3 1/2 hour search on Saturday that ended with the police exiting the home with 15 bags of what appeared to
be evidence, neither Hernandez or the police have made any statements in regards to an arrest warrant.

Investigators have also searched three rental cars registered to Hernandez, one that had its mirror knocked off and was returned sometime Tuesday.

Though the surveillance system of Hernandez’s North Attleboro home was destroyed, sources place Hernandez with Lloyd at a nightclub in Boston the Friday night preceding Lloyd’s death, and the two were seen partying together until Saturday morning.

The one-time Pro Bowler was seen arriving at Gillette Stadium on Thursday only to be turned away by team staff, who were waiting and told him to leave. He was mobbed by media shortly after at a nearby gas station.

Cytosport, a sports nutrition beverage company that endorsed Hernandez, has cut ties with him. Puma, another one of his endorsements, has yet to release any information on the matter.

Hernandez is also being sued by a former friend who lost an eye after he said Hernandez shot him in the face while possessing a gun that he wasn’t legally licensed to own, as reported by ABC News. 

The Patriots, Hernandez, his attorney and the police have remained silent about the ongoing investigation.