Source: Aaron Hernandez Not Ruled Out As Suspect In Homicide Probe
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NORTH ATTLEBORO (CBS/AP) — New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has not been ruled out as a suspect in a homicide investigation in North Attleboro, a law enforcement source told WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson.
The source also said Hernandez is not cooperating with investigators at this point in the probe.
Read: Lawsuit Accuses Hernandez In Miami Shooting
State Police detectives were back at his home Wednesday morning. They knocked on the door and no one answered. After making a brief phone call, they left and would not talk to reporters, referring all questions to to the Bristol County District Attorney's office.
Hernandez and a woman drove away from the home earlier in a white Audi SUV and also had no comment on the investigation that's drawn national media to his North Attleboro neighborhood.
Hernandez returned home in the early afternoon and was seen from a WBZ news helicopter talking to a woman on his back porch.
Police went to see him Monday after a jogger found the body of a man in an industrial park near Hernandez's home.
The man was identified by his family Wednesday as 27-year-old Odin Lloyd of Dorchester.
Law enforcement sources confirm to Anderson the man found in North Attleboro was shot. After an autopsy Wednesday, the medical examiner ruled the manner of death was homicide.
A gun was recovered in the area near where the body was found. However, it was later determined that weapon does not match the caliber of the gun used in the shooting.
On Wednesday evening, the Bristol County District Attorney's office asked the public for help finding a silver mirror cover connected to the investigation. The DA says the mirror, "is believed to have been broken off a vehicle, and may be visible along a route of travel between Dorchester and North Attleboro."
Lloyd was a linebacker for the Boston Bandits, a semi-pro football team. He last practiced with them on Saturday. The Bandits are made up of former high school and college football players. Lloyd went to the O'Bryant School of Math and Science.
A neighbor of Odin's told WBZ they had seen Hernandez in the neighborhood and that Odin dated the sister of Hernandez's girlfriend.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
Source: Aaron Hernandez Not Ruled Out As Suspect In Homicide Probe
"He was in fine spirits (Saturday night), he played well he was mentoring another player who is aspiring to get into college," Bandits coach Olivier Bustin told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Wednesday.
"He was thanked for his assistance and giving pointers during the scrimmage. He had a very good scrimmage, he was a very well-liked and personable player"
"Obviously this is devastating news for us as an organization."
The man who made the grisly discovery did not want to be identified, but described what he found.
"I saw an African-American male, probably 25-35 years old, decently dressed," the man told WBZ-TV. "He was stiff motionless, one of the police officers came back later and said it looked the guy had been shot somewhere else and dumped here." (Continued...)
WBZ-TV's Lauren Leamanczyk reports
State and local police spent hours at Hernandez's home on Tuesday night while other officers searched the industrial park.
Sports Illustrated reported that the link between Hernandez and the case was a rented Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island plates that police had been searching for.
The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Mass., said the SUV was registered to Enterprise and investigators wanted to analyze it for fingerprints.
Hernandez is represented by the Athletes First agency, which said it has no comment "on the Aaron Hernandez situation."
His mother told the Associated Press on Tuesday she had no knowledge of a case involving him. She drove up to her son''s house Wednesday and brought inside a small dog in a crate. She declined to talk to reporters.
The Patriots drafted Hernandez out of Florida in 2010. Since then, he has combined with Rob Gronkowski to form one of the top tight end duos in the NFL.
On Tuesday night, some police officers stood on the front steps of Hernandez's home and others could be seen inside. Some walked around the driveway and in the garage with flashlights. Before wrapping up their work for the night, one officer took a box out of the massive house.
"I am aware of the reports, but I do not anticipate that we will be commenting publicly during an ongoing police investigation," Patriots spokesman Stacey James said.
In 38 games, the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Hernandez has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns. He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and had shoulder surgery in April, but is expected to be ready for training camp next month.
Last summer, the Patriots gave Hernandez a five-year contract. It was worth $40 million, according to reports, and came just months after the team locked up Gronkowski, through 2019.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact North Attleboro Police at (508) 695-1212 or Massachusetts State Police tip line at 1-866-SOLVE-07 (765-8307).
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
