Aaron Hernandez case revisited through new FX thriller

Former NFL star-turned-murderer Aaron Hernandez’s case has resurfaced due to a newly released FX and Hulu documentary, “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez.”

The 10-episode series is based on the podcast “Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.” from the Boston Globe and Wondery. It chronicles the rise and fall of the New England Patriots player, including his arrest and conviction for the murder of fellow football player Odin Lloyd.

According to reviews, the series from Ryan Murphy "explores head injuries and sexuality," highlighting Hernandez’s struggles with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which was diagnosed posthumously after his death by suicide in 2017.

Hernandez was convicted of Lloyd’s murder in 2015, and he took his own life while in prison two years later. At the time of his arrest, he had been playing with the Patriots for three seasons. The fourth-round 2010 draft pick had a $40 million contract with the team.

The FX series has reignited interest in Hernandez’s life leading up to Lloyd’s murder—including his daily routine at his home in Massachusetts, a property that played a key role in the trial.

Hernandez's former home in Attleboro, MA, was last on the market in 2019. The property played a crucial role during his trial as prosecutors claimed grainy surveillance video footage taken from inside showed Hernandez holding what appeared to be the weapon used in Lloyd's murder. Lloyd's body was found in an industrial park not far from Hernandez’s home.

While serving a life sentence for murder, Hernandez committed suicide in prison in April 2017. His former home garnered renewed interest when it was on the market at that time and became Realtor.com®'s most viewed property in May.

After several price reductions, investor Arif Khan purchased it for $1 million at the beginning of 2018. Khan planned to renovate and resell it. "Nobody wants to buy a house with Aaron Hernandez’s name on it," Khan told Realtor.com at that time. He estimated spending $150,000 on repairs due to damages such as broken doors and water leaks.

The five-bedroom mansion features amenities like an office with built-ins, a home theater, sauna and ice bath, basement lounge with wet bar, saltwater pool with waterfall, grill area, cabana with bar and half-bathroom. The neighborhood has been popular among Patriots players over recent years.

Eventually updated by Khan, the house returned to market and sold for $1,050,000 in 2019.