Former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez commits suicide in prison

Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez has committed suicide in a Massachusetts jail while serving a life sentence.

Serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd, former New England Patriots tight end, Aaron Hernandez has killed himself in his jail cell at Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. Hernandez was found hanging by a bed sheet he had attached to his cell window at approximately 3:05 a.m.

Corrections officers attempted to save the life of Hernandez, but they arrived on the scene too late. He was taken to UMASS Leominster, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m.. Hernandez is dead at the age of 27, and leaves behind more questions than answers about his troubled life. Hernandez was recently acquitted of first-degree murder in the killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. The former TE played three seasons for the Patriots and seemed set to help revolutionize the position, opposite Rob Gronkowski. He was arrested for the murder of Lloyd during the weeks leading up to the 2013 regular season.

Throughout his murder trials, Hernandez was combative and at times looked smug. In jail, he was involved in multiple prison fights while continuing his gangster persona. Deeper mental-health issues played a part in his downfall and could have led to his decision to commit suicide.

The former TE played three seasons for the Patriots and seemed set to help revolutionize the position, opposite Rob Gronkowski. He was arrested for the murder of Lloyd during the weeks leading up to the 2013 regular season.

Next: Is Joe Mixon sliding down draft boards?

ESPN reached out to the Patriots for comment this morning but the team indicated that it would likely not be commenting on Hernandez. The Patriots will visit the White House today in celebration of their February Super Bowl win.

Hernandez leaves behind a four-year-old daughter.