The Aaron Hernandez saga has officially come to an end.
Around 3:05 AM ET, the former Patriots tight end was hanging in his prison cell and was eventually pronounced dead around 4 AM from the apparent suicide. He was 27-years old.
Via the Boston Globe:
“Mr. Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population unit,” the statement said. “Mr. Hernandez hanged himself utilizing a bedsheet that he attached to his cell window. Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items.”
Before taking the easy way out, Hernandez was serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2015 of first-degree murder. Last Friday however the former tight end was acquitted of a double-murder charge which stemmed from the killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado back in 2012.
Aaron Hernandez found NOT guilty on both counts in 2012 double murder in Boston.
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) April 14, 2017
After being drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots in 2010, Hernandez went on to record 18 touchdowns and 1,956 receiving yards in three seasons. In late August of 2012 the former NFL-star signed a five-year, $40 million dollar deal with the Patriots that ran through the 2018 season. And in addition to the contract, Hernandez received a $12.5 million dollar signing bonus which was the largest sum of money (for a signing bonus) given to a tight end in the league.