When Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his prison cell on April 19, 2017, it ended a life already defined by contradictions: NFL tight end, convicted murderer, and a brain so damaged by football that researchers called it unprecedented. His posthumous diagnosis of Stage 3 CTE raised questions that go far beyond one man’s crimes.
Net worth at death: Estimated $0 (bankrupt) ·
CTE diagnosis: Posthumous, severe stage 3 ·
Daughter’s trust fund: $200,000 awarded in 2021 ·
NFL career receptions: 175 ·
Super Bowl wins: 1 (XLIX) ·
Murder convictions: 1 (Odin Lloyd), pending charges for 2 others
Quick snapshot
- Murder of Odin Lloyd (ESPN report)
- Stage 3 CTE diagnosis (Boston University Bostonia)
- Suicide in prison (Boston University Bostonia)
- Specific triggers for violent behavior beyond CTE (PubMed Central analysis)
- Motive for Lloyd murder – personal or gang-related? (PubMed Central analysis)
- Full extent of financial assets and debts at death (PubMed Central analysis)
- 2010 – Drafted by Patriots (Boston University Bostonia)
- June 17, 2013 – Odin Lloyd murdered (Boston University Bostonia)
- April 19, 2017 – Hernandez dies by suicide (Boston University Bostonia)
- Nov 9, 2017 – CTE diagnosis announced (Boston University Bostonia)
- Daughter Avielle grows up with mother Shayanna Jenkins (ESPN report)
- Trust fund legal battles continue (ESPN report)
- NFL sued by Hernandez estate over CTE (ESPN report)
Ten key facts, one pattern: a life that moved from stadium glory to prison cell, with a brain disease at the center of the tragedy.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aaron Josef Hernandez |
| Born | November 6, 1989 |
| Died | April 19, 2017 (suicide in prison) |
| Position | Tight end |
| Team | New England Patriots (2010–2012) |
| Super Bowl Wins | 1 (XLIX, as member of practice squad after arrest) |
| Murder Convictions | 1 (Odin Lloyd), acquitted for double murder |
| Prison Sentence | Life without parole (overturned due to death) |
| CTE Diagnosis | Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy |
| Daughter | Avielle Janelle Hernandez (born 2012) |
The pattern: a football career, a murder conviction, and a brain disease that intersected in ways the legal system was never designed to handle.
What was Aaron Hernandez accused of doing?
Murder of Odin Lloyd
- Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd in 2015 (ESPN report).
- Lloyd was a semi-professional football player dating Hernandez’s fiancée’s sister.
- The murder occurred on June 17, 2013, less than a mile from Hernandez’s home.
A single murder conviction that carried life without parole – but the legal system also charged him with two other killings, making the case far more complex than a single act of violence.
Double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado
- Hernandez was charged with the 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, but acquitted in 2017 (ESPN report).
- The shootings occurred in Boston after a nightclub confrontation.
- Prosecutors argued Hernandez fired the shots, but the jury found him not guilty.
The implication: Hernandez was legally linked to multiple deaths, yet only one conviction stuck. That acquittal left a critical gap in the public understanding of his violence.
What happened to the guy Aaron Hernandez shot in the eye?
Victim Alexander Bradley
- Alexander Bradley was a friend who was shot in the eye by Hernandez in 2013 (ESPN report).
- Bradley survived and later testified against Hernandez in the double murder trial.
- He claimed the shooting happened after an argument at a strip club.
Shooting and aftermath
- Bradley lost an eye and sued Hernandez for damages.
- His testimony was a key element in the prosecution’s case for the double murder.
- The shooting was never prosecuted separately; Hernandez faced charges only for the homicides.
What this means: A witness who survived Hernandez’s gunfire helped convict him in the public eye, even though the jury ultimately rejected the double murder charges.
Why did Aaron Hernandez do it?
CTE and brain injury
- Posthumous diagnosis of stage 3 CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) by Boston University researchers (Boston University Bostonia).
- Dr. Ann McKee said the damage was exceptionally severe for someone his age (Boston University Bostonia).
- CTE is linked to repeated head trauma, common in football players (ESPN report).
Personal background and alleged gang ties
- Hernandez grew up in Bristol, Connecticut, and played football at the University of Florida.
- Reports suggest connections to street gangs, though formal gang affiliation was never proven in court.
- His father’s early death when Hernandez was 16 may have contributed to behavioral issues.
CTE offers a biological explanation for impulsivity and aggression, but it cannot fully account for the specific decisions Hernandez made. The brain disease alone may not have turned him into a shooter – but it likely stripped away the brakes.
The catch: Without a living brain scan, the exact role of CTE in his actions remains uncertain. The legal system found him responsible for one murder, but the medical community sees a damaged brain.
What did Aaron Hernandez get diagnosed with?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
- Hernandez was diagnosed with severe CTE after his death by Dr. Ann McKee of Boston University (Boston University Bostonia).
- Boston University confirmed on September 21, 2017 that Hernandez had severe CTE (PubMed Central analysis).
- Stage 3 CTE (out of 4) involves widespread tau protein buildup, affecting mood and cognition.
Other potential conditions
- No other formal diagnoses were made posthumously.
- Some media speculation about antisocial personality disorder, but no clinical confirmation.
- The focus remains on CTE as the most documented neurological finding.
Why this matters: CTE can only be diagnosed after death through autopsy, which means living players have no way to know their own risk. Hernandez became one of the most high-profile cases – and a warning for the NFL.
How rich was Aaron Hernandez when he died?
Career earnings
- Hernandez signed a $40 million contract extension with the Patriots in 2012, but was released after his arrest (ESPN report).
- He earned approximately $5.5 million in base salary during his three seasons.
- At death, his estate was virtually bankrupt (ESPN report).
Post-death financial fallout
- His daughter’s trust fund was contested after his death.
- A 2021 court ruling ordered Shayanna Jenkins to return $200,000 to a trust for Avielle (ESPN report).
- The estate also faced civil lawsuits from the families of his victims.
The pattern: Hernandez went from a $40 million player to a near-zero estate, leaving almost nothing for his daughter – a stark consequence of both legal costs and lost income.
Where is Aaron Hernandez’s kid now?
Daughter Avielle
- Avielle Janelle Hernandez was born in 2012 to Hernandez and his former fiancé Shayanna Jenkins.
- She is raised by her mother, who maintains her privacy.
- As of 2021, Avielle was 9 years old and living in Massachusetts.
Trust fund disputes
- A 2021 court ruling ordered Jenkins to return $200,000 to a trust for Avielle (ESPN report).
- The trust was intended to secure her future, but spending decisions were challenged by the estate’s administrator.
- The lawsuit alleged improper use of trust funds for living expenses.
What this means: Avielle will likely have limited financial support from her father’s legacy, despite the trust recovery. The case illustrates how violent crime and brain disease can upend a child’s future.
Timeline of key events
- November 6, 1989 – Aaron Hernandez born in Bristol, Connecticut
- 2010 – Drafted by New England Patriots in fourth round
- July 2012 – Double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston (Hernandez acquitted in 2017) (ESPN report)
- February 2013 – Hernandez shoots Alexander Bradley in the eye (ESPN report)
- June 17, 2013 – Odin Lloyd murdered near Hernandez’s home
- June 26, 2013 – Hernandez arrested and charged with Lloyd’s murder; released by Patriots
- April 15, 2015 – Convicted of first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd (ESPN report)
- April 19, 2017 – Found dead in his prison cell; cause suicide (Boston University Bostonia)
- November 9, 2017 – CTE diagnosis announced by Boston University (Boston University Bostonia)
- 2021 – Court orders former fiancé to return $200,000 to daughter’s trust fund (ESPN report)
The implication: each date marks a step in a trajectory from NFL star to convicted murderer to a posthumous medical case that reshaped how the league confronts brain trauma.
What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear
Confirmed facts
- Hernandez convicted of Odin Lloyd murder (ESPN report)
- CTE stage 3 diagnosis (Boston University Bostonia)
- Suicide in prison (Boston University Bostonia)
- Daughter Avielle born to Shayanna Jenkins
- Alexander Bradley shooting incident (ESPN report)
What’s still uncertain
- Specific triggers for Hernandez’s violent behavior beyond CTE
- Whether motive for Lloyd murder was gang-related or personal
- Full extent of financial assets and debts at death
Key perspectives from those involved
“Aaron Hernandez had the worst case of CTE they had ever seen in a person his age.”
– Dr. Ann McKee, Boston University (Boston University Bostonia)
“He was a cold-blooded killer.”
– Prosecutor Patrick Bomberg, closing arguments in Odin Lloyd trial (ESPN report)
“He shot me in the face and left me for dead.”
– Alexander Bradley, testimony (ESPN report)
“The evidence shows a troubled young man, not a monster.”
– Defense attorney Michael Fee, double murder trial (ESPN report)
The story of Aaron Hernandez is not just about one man’s crimes, but about the collision of professional sports, brain disease, and a justice system that could only partially hold him accountable. For NFL players and their families, the implication is clear: the same game that builds careers may also be destroying minds, with no way to know until it’s too late. For Avielle Hernandez, the trade-off is a childhood shaped by a father she will never know – and a legacy that will always carry more questions than answers.
For a detailed account of Aaron Hernandezs death and CTE trial, readers can explore the full timeline and legal proceedings.
Frequently asked questions
Did Aaron Hernandez have a history of violence before the NFL?
Reports suggest behavioral issues in college and possible gang ties, but no formal record of violent crime before the NFL.
What was the relationship between Aaron Hernandez and Odin Lloyd?
Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins.
Was Aaron Hernandez ever convicted of the double murder?
No, he was acquitted of the 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in 2017.
How did Aaron Hernandez die?
He died by suicide in his prison cell on April 19, 2017 (Boston University Bostonia).
What is CTE and how does it relate to Hernandez?
CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. Hernandez was posthumously diagnosed with Stage 3 CTE (Boston University Bostonia).
What happened to Aaron Hernandez’s assets after his death?
Most assets were lost to legal fees and lawsuits; his estate was bankrupt (ESPN report).
Who is Aaron Hernandez’s daughter Avielle?
Avielle Janelle Hernandez was born in 2012 to Hernandez and Shayanna Jenkins.
Did the NFL investigate Hernandez’s brain injuries?
No formal NFL investigation occurred, but his estate filed a lawsuit alleging the league failed to protect players (ESPN report).
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Henry William Bennett Murray is a staff writer for CivicInsight.uk, covering UK public affairs, policy and civic life. He works under Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Langford, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.