'Absolutely no chance he took his own life'
Some of the people closest to Aaron Hernandez are questioning the circumstances of his death in a Massachusetts prison cell.
The former New England Patriots tight end, 27, committed suicide on Wednesday, authorities in Massachusetts have confirmed.
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Hernandez, acquitted in a double murder trial only last week, was found in his cell at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Centre and was pronounced dead about an hour later.
But Hernandez's former agent and his most recent attorney, among others, expressed skepticism that the former Patriots tight end would have killed himself.
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.
— Brian Murphy (@A1Murph) April 19, 2017
"Absolutely no chance he took his own life," Athletes First agency president Brian Murphy wrote on Twitter. "Chico was not a saint, but my family and I loved him and he would never take his own life."
TMZ have reported that Jose Baez, the attorney who led Hernandez's defense in the double murder trial, has launched an investigation on behalf of the player's family, which also doesn't accept the official explanation.
An unidentified former Patriots teammate of Hernandez also told ESPN "I'm not buying" the report of a suicide.
Another former teammate of Aaron Hernandez I spoke with this am having a hard time believing he took his own life: "I am not buying it."
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 19, 2017
"I'll never believe (Aaron Hernandez) went out that way," the player added. "Yes he has emotions, but he's not wired like that."
Hernandez was already serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in the death of Odin L. Lloyd in June 2013.
For support and information about suicide prevention call Lifeline on 131 114.