It has been a full week since we first heard the shocking (or not-so-shocking, depending upon just how cynical you have become) news out of Boston. The implication that one of the New England Patriots, Aaron Hernandez, was somehow involved in the murder of semi-professional footballer Odin Lloyd. While no murder charges have been filed at this point, authorities and the media have made it pretty clear that Hernandez is a critical individual in the investigation. Here is what we know about the case, in chronological order.
Monday: The body of Lloyd was found by a jogger in an industrial park one mile from Hernandez' home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. The body was found not far from a rental car in Hernandez' name that was found at the scene, with one of the side mirrors missing. The side mirror has yet to be discovered, though it is unclear what, if any, bearing that has on the rest of the investigation.
Tuesday: Authorities executed the first of what would be many search warrants on Hernandez' home. This is also the first day that Hernandez alleged involvement in the case was reported in the media (at least on ESPN.com or Yahoo.com, the two sites that I use primarily for my non-local news)
Wednesday: Authorities returned to Hernandez' home to execute another search warrant on at least two vehicles rented in Hernandez' name. There were also reports in the media that claimed Hernandez had destroyed his security system and cellphone prior to the execution of the search warrant on the prior day.
Thursday: Hernandez' home is searched yet again, this time due to the aforementioned destruction of the surveillance system and cellphone. Reports also surfaced of a separate lawsuit. filed on the 13th by a man in Florida claiming that Hernandez shot him in the arm and face following an argument outside of a club in Miami.
Friday: Several media sources claim that authorities have filed a warrant for Hernandez' arrest on Obstruction of Justice charges, stemming from the destruction of his security systems and phone. These reports have since been denied by Hernandez' agent, and as of today, no arrest has been made in the case.
Saturday: Police return yet again to Hernandez' home for another search. It is unclear what the basis for this search was, though reports are that authorities left with approximately a dozen bags of evidence and at one point called in a locksmith who was on site for about an hour and a half before leaving. No reports that I have seen have said why the locksmith was called or what he may have unlocked for the police to discover.
We also know that Odin was dating the sister of Hernandez' girlfriend, who is also the mother of his child. While it may have no bearing on the case, if there had been a fight between Odin and his girlfriend, the authorities could use that to try and pin a motive onto his murder, though that is just speculation on my part. A video tape from the night of the murder shows Odin leaving a club with Hernandez and two other men. This establishes Hernandez as one of the last people to see Odin alive. We have also heard reports stating that several of Hernandez' neighbors have told authorities that they heard what they believed to be multiple rounds of gunfire coming from Hernandez' home on the night of the murder.
While all of this "evidence" is circumstantial at best, it is my opinion that there is more than enough of it to establish a connection between Odin and Hernandez, and to establish that Hernandez, even if he wasn't the one to pull the trigger, was somehow involved in the death of Odin. His actions following the night of Odin's murder do not, in my opinion, reflect that of an innocent man. I do, however, firmly believe in innocent until proven guilty, so I will have to wait to pass further judgment until the legal system has fully run it's course. If things work out well for Hernandez and he is not charged with anything more than obstruction (which I think it inevitable after he tampered with evidence), expect commissioner Roger Goodell to hand down at least a four game suspension to Hernandez for conduct detrimental to the league. If Hernandez does go on trial for murder, I expect we may have seen the last of Hernandez in the NFL, whether he's found guilty or not.
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