Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez commits suicide in prison

Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots star who played in the National Football League (NFL) was found hanging in his prison cell on Wednesday morning. Hernandez was convicted of murder in 2015 and was serving a life sentence in the Massachusetts prison. 

"Hernandez was discovered hanged in his cell by corrections officers at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley Massachusetts at approximately 3:05 a.m.," the Massachusetts Department of Correction said, as reported by the CNN.

"Lifesaving techniques were attempted on Mr. Hernandez and he was transported to UMASS Leominster, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m. by a physician at the hospital. Mr. Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population housing.

Mr. Hernandez hanged himself utilising a bed sheet that he attached to his cell window. Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items. The Massachusetts State Police are on scene and the investigation continues. Mr. Hernandez's next of kin have been notified."

The footballer was arrested in June 2013 for the murder of Odin Lloyd, the boyfriend of his fiancee’s sister. This led the tight ender to be sentenced to prison for lifetime without the possibility of a parole in 2015. Later, Hernandez was also allegedly accused for a double murder in Boston in 2015, but was acquitted of all the charges on Friday.