The Five Shocking Truths About Aaron Hernandez: Glory, Murder, And The CTE Diagnosis That Changed Everything

The tragic and complex saga of Aaron Hernandez continues to captivate and disturb the public consciousness, especially with a major new limited series re-examining his life and ultimate downfall. As of late 2024, the story of the former New England Patriots tight end remains a chilling case study in the intersection of athletic pressure, hidden violence, and neurological damage, offering a devastating look at a life that went from Super Bowl contender to convicted murderer and suicide victim in just a few short years.

The question "What happened to Aaron Hernandez?" is not just about his death in a prison cell on April 19, 2017. It is a deep dive into the factors—both criminal and biological—that led a 27-year-old Pro Bowl athlete to take his own life while serving a life sentence for murder, only to have his brain reveal a startling diagnosis that added a new, tragic dimension to his crimes: Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

Aaron Josef Hernandez: A Complete Biography and Timeline

Aaron Hernandez’s life was a whirlwind of athletic brilliance and escalating self-destruction. His biography is a critical roadmap to understanding the man behind the headlines.

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• Full Name: Aaron Josef Hernandez
• Born: November 6, 1989, in Bristol, Connecticut
• Died: April 19, 2017 (age 27), in Shirley, Massachusetts (suicide by hanging)
• High School: Bristol Central High School (All-State honors)
• College: University of Florida (Florida Gators, won the BCS National Championship in 2008)
• NFL Draft: Selected by the New England Patriots in the 4th round (113th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.
• Position: Tight End
• Career Highlights: Named to the Pro Bowl in 2011; played in Super Bowl XLVI; signed a $40 million contract extension in 2012.
• Family: Fiancée Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez; daughter Avielle Janelle Hernandez.
• Key Legal Events:
  • June 2013: Arrested for the murder of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.
  • April 2015: Convicted of first-degree murder in the Odin Lloyd case and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
  • April 2017: Acquitted of the 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.
  • April 19, 2017: Found dead in his prison cell five days after his acquittal.

The Two Murder Trials: Odin Lloyd and the Double Homicide

The sudden transition of Aaron Hernandez from an NFL superstar to a murder suspect sent shockwaves through the sports world, leaving fans and the New England Patriots organization reeling. The legal saga involved two distinct and highly publicized cases.

The first and most definitive case involved the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez. Lloyd's body was discovered in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez's North Attleboro, Massachusetts, home in June 2013.

In April 2015, a jury convicted Hernandez of first-degree murder, a verdict that carried an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. His contract with the Patriots was immediately terminated following his arrest, a dramatic end to a promising career alongside quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick.

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While incarcerated, Hernandez faced a second trial for the 2012 drive-by double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado outside a Boston nightclub. In a surprising turn of events, just days before his death, Hernandez was acquitted of the first-degree murder charges in that case, though he was convicted of an unlawful possession of a firearm charge.

The Devastating Posthumous Diagnosis of Stage 3 CTE

The final, and arguably most crucial, piece of the Aaron Hernandez puzzle emerged after his death. Five days after his acquittal in the double murder case, Hernandez died by suicide in his prison cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.

His brain was then sent to Boston University's CTE Center, where neuropathologist Dr. Ann McKee and her team conducted a detailed examination. The findings were staggering: Hernandez had Stage 3 (out of 4) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

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CTE is a progressive, degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, such as concussions and subconcussive hits common in American football.

The Severity of Hernandez's CTE

The diagnosis was particularly shocking due to Hernandez's young age of 27. Stage 3 CTE is typically associated with much older former players, and its symptoms include severe cognitive impairment, memory loss, poor impulse control, aggression, emotional instability, and erratic behavior. Dr. McKee noted that Hernandez's brain showed "early brain atrophy" and "large perforations" in a central membrane, indicating significant damage.

This diagnosis did not absolve him of his crimes, but it provided a biological context for his sudden and violent decline. The revelation ignited a firestorm of discussion and controversy around the safety of the NFL and the long-term effects of playing the sport, particularly for young athletes.

The Continuing Legacy and Media Re-Examination

Even years after his death, Aaron Hernandez's story remains a powerful cultural touchstone, continually re-examined through various media. The most recent wave of interest is driven by a high-profile television series.

The FX/Hulu limited series, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, premiered in September 2024, bringing his complex life back into the spotlight. The series, produced by Ryan Murphy, explores the disparate strands of his identity, his family life, his sexuality, and his ultimate downfall.

The series, along with previous documentaries like Netflix's Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, continues to fuel the public's curiosity and debate over the degree to which his CTE diagnosis contributed to his violent actions. His case is frequently cited in the ongoing legal battles and scientific research surrounding football and brain injury, ensuring that his name remains synonymous with the NFL's CTE crisis.

Furthermore, the Hernandez family continues to face legal issues. His older brother, Dennis "DJ" Hernandez, has been in the news recently, facing legal trouble for alleged threats, further complicating the family's tragic public narrative.

The Unanswered Questions That Linger

The ultimate question of "what happened to Aaron Hernandez" may never have a single, satisfying answer. His case is a mosaic of factors:

• The Role of CTE: To what extent did the Stage 3 CTE impair his judgment and trigger the violent impulses that led to the death of Odin Lloyd?
• The Double Life: How did the pressure of maintaining a public image while hiding private struggles contribute to his mental state?
• The NFL's Accountability: What responsibility does the National Football League bear for the long-term health of players who suffered from repeated head trauma?

The story of Aaron Hernandez is a cautionary tale, a stark reminder that beneath the multi-million dollar contracts and the bright lights of the stadium, there can be a devastating, unseen battle taking place inside the mind of an athlete.