The Chilling Final Words: Unpacking The Three Mysterious Aaron Hernandez Letters

The tragic and complex story of Aaron Hernandez continues to captivate the public, particularly as new media—including the FX/Hulu series *American Sports Story*—re-examines his life, crimes, and shocking death. On April 19, 2017, the former New England Patriots tight end was found dead in his prison cell, just days after being acquitted of a double murder charge. He left behind three handwritten suicide notes, or "letters," that offered a cryptic, emotional, and deeply unsettling glimpse into his final state of mind. As of the current date, December 10, 2025, these letters remain the most intensely scrutinized pieces of evidence in his dark saga, with their meaning forever intertwined with his posthumous diagnosis of severe Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

The content of these final messages has fueled years of speculation, controversy, and debate. From a mysterious reference to a financial windfall for his fiancée to a cryptic note to his lawyer, the three Aaron Hernandez letters serve as a haunting epilogue to a life defined by extraordinary talent and devastating violence. Their full context, now viewed through the lens of a Stage 3 CTE diagnosis, offers a crucial, albeit tragic, key to understanding his final, desperate act.

Aaron Hernandez: A Brief Biography and Timeline of Tragedy

Aaron Josef Hernandez was a professional football player whose career was cut short by a murder conviction and subsequent suicide. His life, a dramatic fall from grace, is marked by a series of legal and personal tragedies.

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• Full Name: Aaron Josef Hernandez
• Born: November 6, 1989, in Bristol, Connecticut
• Died: April 19, 2017, in Lancaster, Massachusetts (Age 27)
• Cause of Death: Suicide by hanging
• Position: Tight End
• NFL Career: New England Patriots (2010–2013)
• Key Events & Convictions:
  • 2013: Arrested and charged with the murder of Odin Lloyd.
  • 2015: Convicted of first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
  • 2017 (April 14): Acquitted of the 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado.
  • 2017 (April 19): Died by suicide at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.
  • 2017 (Posthumous): Diagnosed with Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a severe form usually found in older individuals.
• Family: Fiancée Shayanna Jenkins and daughter Avielle Jenkins-Hernandez.

The Three Recipients: Unpacking the Suicide Notes

Upon his death, investigators found three handwritten notes in his cell, each addressed to a person central to his life: his fiancée, his daughter, and his lawyer. The details of these letters were later revealed in his attorney Jose Baez’s book, *Unnecessary Roughness*, and through court documents.

1. The Letter to Shayanna Jenkins: 'You're Rich' and The Cryptic Warning

The note addressed to his fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, was arguably the most controversial. Hernandez and Jenkins had been in a relationship since childhood and shared a daughter, Avielle.

The letter contained a number of emotional and cryptic lines, including:

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• "You’re rich." This line immediately fueled speculation about his finances and potential legal settlements, though its exact meaning remains debated.
• "I told you what was coming indirectly." This cryptic line led Jenkins to publicly question whether his death was truly a suicide, suggesting it might have been an indirect warning of danger or a pre-planned event.
• "Tell my story fully, but never think anything besides how much I love you." This instruction has been seen as a motivator for the subsequent books, documentaries, and drama series that have chronicled his life.

The intense, yet ambiguous, nature of this note has led to Jenkins becoming a central figure in the post-mortem analysis of Hernandez’s life, often speaking out about her doubt and the complex emotions surrounding his final words.

2. The Letter to Avielle Jenkins-Hernandez: A Father’s Last Promise

The note to his daughter, Avielle Jenkins-Hernandez, was perhaps the most heartbreaking and direct, focusing on his love for her and his hope for her future. Avielle was only four years old at the time of his death.

Key phrases from the letter to his daughter included:

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• "Daddy loves you so much! Never fear me, but know I will always be with you."
• "I’m entering the timeless realm soon."
• "I love you so much and know you are an angel and a gift from God."

Unlike the note to Shayanna, this letter was a clear expression of paternal love and a final attempt to comfort his child, urging her not to be afraid of his memory as he transitioned to a "timeless realm."

3. The Letter to Jose Baez: The Upbeat Twist

The third note was initially rumored to be for a prison lover, but his attorney, Jose Baez, quickly refuted this, confirming the letter was addressed to him.

Baez described the note as surprisingly upbeat and optimistic, especially given the grim circumstances.

• "I told you this day was coming."
• "I love you, I know you were my boy."
• "You have always been there for me, I know I’ve been a pain in the ass but you are a true friend."

This note to Baez—who had just secured an acquittal for Hernandez in the double murder case—is often interpreted as a final gesture of gratitude and friendship, though its upbeat tone, juxtaposed with his suicide, adds another layer of confusion to his final hours.

The CTE Connection: How the Letters Are Interpreted Now

The most significant update to the "Aaron Hernandez letter" narrative is the post-mortem diagnosis of Stage 3 CTE by researchers at Boston University. This diagnosis has fundamentally changed how the public and experts view his actions, including the final notes.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, such as that experienced by football players. Stage 3 CTE is associated with:

• Aggression and rage.
• Paranoia and mood swings.
• Cognitive impairment and poor judgment.

The Modern Interpretation:

Experts and media outlets now frequently use the CTE diagnosis to re-evaluate the chilling content of the letters. The cryptic nature of the note to Shayanna, the sudden shift from an optimistic phone call to a final, desperate act, and the overall instability reflected in his writings are now often attributed to the severe brain damage he sustained.

The letters, once seen purely as the final words of a convicted murderer, are now viewed through a more complex lens that acknowledges a severely compromised mental state. This medical context provides a tragic explanation for the erratic behavior and mood swings that defined his life, offering a new, though painful, understanding of his final, chilling messages to the people he loved most. The ongoing public interest, particularly with the new *American Sports Story* focusing on his life, ensures that the content of the Aaron Hernandez letters will continue to be a subject of intense, albeit somber, discussion for years to come.