by Patrick H. Moore
According to court documents obtained by the Hartford Courant, law enforcement believes that Aaron Hernandez’ fiancee Shayanna Jenkins helped Hernandez hide the murder weapon used in the slaying of Odin Lloyd.
The documents state that on June 18th, video surveillance footage obtained from Hernandez’ home shows Shayanna Jenkins leaving the basement of the house around 1:15 p.m., carrying a trash bag, which the authorities are saying contained a heavy “rigid object,” resembling a lock box or safe. She is alleged to have placed the trash bag in the trunk of a red Nissan Sentra. The surveillance footage showed her returning 35 minutes later and opening the trunk of the car, revealing that the trash bag and “rigid object” were no longer there.
Carlos Ortiz, one of the suspects charged in connection with the case who is expected to testify against Hernandez at trial, has told police that shortly after the shooting, Hernandez stashed two guns in a box in the basement.
The surveillance footage shows Shayanna driving the Nissan toward Landry Avenue, where police the next day found a .22-caliber handgun which appeared to have been “recently discarded.”
Prosecutors surmise that it is the same gun that co-defendant Ernest Wallace and Ortiz were both seen carrying the night of the crime — a weapon Ortiz described as a “deuce deuce.” Hernandez, however, was captured on surveillance footage carrying a larger handgun, which prosecutors claim is the .45-caliber Glock pistol used to kill Lloyd.
In short, the court documents allege that Jenkins removed a box out of Hernandez’s basement, put it in her truck, drove away and then returned home with the trunk empty 35 minutes later. This all occurred one day after Odin Lloyd’s body was found in the industrial park not far from Hernandez’ home. In addition, law enforcement is claiming that they have “cryptic” text messages between Hernandez and Jenkins from shortly before she left with the box.
The prosecution believes that shorting after leaving the industrial park death scene and returning to his home, Hernandez and his two associates went into the basement and turned off the home security system.
Although the police have recovered the .22-caliber handgun handgun, the alleged murder weapon — a .45-caliber handgun that Hernandez was allegedly seen holding the night of Lloyd’s death — has not been recovered.
Despite the strong circumstantial evidence against Hernandez connecting him to the murder of Odin Lloyd, law enforcement is determined to find the alleged murder weapon, probably because history shows that it is surprisingly difficult to convict celebrity athletes of murder.
Over the past few weeks investigators have searched multiple residences and a lake for the weapon, but have been unable to find it. They also searched a storage unit in Jenkins’ name, apparently to no avail.
Click here for earlier posts on the Aaron Hernandez case:
Aaron Hernandez Bombshell: Filmed with Murder Weapon by His Own Surveillance Cameras
Aaron Hernandez Serial Killer Case Strengthens as Grand Jury Hears Evidence of 2012 Double Murder
Eat Your Heart Out Aaron Hernandez: D.A. Will Cut Deal to Deliver You Up on a Platter
Aaron Hernandez Arrested for Murder: Bill Belichick Drops Him Like a Hot Potato
Eat Your Heart Out, Bill Belichick: Patriots Tight End Aaron Hernandez Wanted in Murder Probe