Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his prison cell early on the morning of April 19. He was serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd. Just days before he died, Hernandez had been acquitted in the double murder of Daniel Abreu and Safrio Furtado. Here is a timeline of key events in Hernandez's trials.
April 2010: Aaron Hernandez is selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
July 2012: Two men, Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, are killed in a drive-by shooting in Boston's South End.
August 2012: Hernandez signs a five-year, multi-million dollar extension contract with the New England Patriots.
February 2013: Alexander Bradley is shot in the face in Riviera Beach, Fla., causing him to lose his right eye.
June 2013: The body of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player and the boyfriend of Hernandez's fiancee's sister, is found dead in an industrial park near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough, Mass. He was shot multiple times. Police uncover video footage hinting that Hernandez was with Lloyd the night he was killed and search Hernandez's home. Hernandez is arrested and charged with first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd.
The Patriots release Hernandez from the team. Later that month, Ernest Wallace is arrested in connection with the murder of Lloyd, and an investigation finds that he may be connected to the August 2012 double murder. Alexander Bradley also files a civil lawsuit against Hernandez for the February Florida shooting.
July 2013: Patriots coach Bill Belichick says the Patriots will learn from "this terrible experience" and that it's time for New England to "move forward."
November 2013: Aaron Hernandez pleads the Fifth Amendment in the civil lawsuit filed by Alexander Bradley.
December 2013: Odin Lloyd's family files a wrongful death suit against Hernandez.
May 2014: Aaron Hernandez is indicted on double murder charges for the shooting deaths of de Abreu and Furtado in 2012. He pleads not guilty to both charges.
January 2015: The trial for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd begins.
April 2015: Hernandez is found guilty of first-degree murder and formally sentenced to life in prison without parole.
May 2015: Hernandez is indicted on a charge for the shooting of Alexander Bradley.
February 2017: Shortly after the Patriots' win Super Bowl LI, jury selection begins for the 2012 double murder trial.
March 2017: The double murder trial begins.
April 2017: Hernandez is found not guilty for the 2012 double murder in Boston's South End on April 14.
April 19, 2017: Hernandez is found dead in is single prison cell.
