Aaron Hernandez, Convicted Murderer, and Former NFL Star Commits Suicide

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, was found hanged to death in his Shirley, Massachusetts prison cell early Wednesday morning. Corrections officials believe this death to be suicide, as he was discovered hanged with a bed sheet and attempted to barricade his cell using several items to jam the door. After lifesaving techniques were administered by corrections officials, the 27-year-old was rushed to UMass Memorial Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster. Hernandez was pronounced dead at this hospital.

According to the Worcester County district attorney's office, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will soon conduct an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death. The suspected suicide of Hernandez follows an acquittal for two counts of murder less than one week ago. Last Friday, April 14, Hernandez was found not guilty of the murders of Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu. Both Furtado and Abreu were shot and killed in a drive-by shooting outside of a nightclub in Boston.

Brian Murphy, president of Athletes First, the sports agency that represented Hernandez, Tweeted early Wednesday morning, "Absolutely no chance he took his own life. Chico was not a saint, but my family and I loved him and he would never take his own life." Describing Hernandez, a convicted murderer, as "not a saint" was questionable. Hernandez was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd.

Hernandez leaves behind a four-year-old daughter and fiancé.