Prosecution details events it says led to Odin Lloyd’s homicide
For more than 20 minutes, Bristol County prosecutor William McCauley stood in a Massachusetts courtroom Wednesday detailing the events that led to Aaron Hernandez's arrest and subsequent charge of first-degree murder.
With Hernandez, who pled not guilty to the charge, standing just a few feet away, McCauley went through a timeline of events – extracted from surveillance videos, cell phone records and cell phone towers – that the prosecution says ended with the execution of Odin Lloyd:
June 16
9:02 p.m.: Hernandez texts a friend out of state saying "please make it back"
9:05: Hernandez texts Lloyd that he wants to get together
9:35: Hernandez texts a friend in Connecticut that says "get your ass up here"
10:23: Hernandez texts the same friend, "Hurry your ass up"
McCauley indicated that Hernandez recently had 14 surveillance cameras installed in his home. Video from the cameras show two men arriving at Hernandez's home in North Attelboro. Later footage shows Hernandez with a firearm. At one point, Hernandez says to one of the men that he "can't trust anyone anymore," according to McCauley.
June 17
1:12 a.m.: The three men depart Hernandez's home in a silver Nissan Altima, according to surveillance video, cell phone towers and cell phone records.
Cell towers track their movement south on Interstate-95. At some point, they turn around, then head north before stopping at a gas station on Route 128.
2:10: Hernandez buys gas, a pack of Bubblicious gum, and rolling papers.
2:32: The silver Altima arrives at Lloyd's house. Hernandez sends a text message: "We're here."
Lloyd's sister watches Odin Lloyd leave the house and get into the silver Altima. Neighborhood surveillance video shows Hernandez arriving in the neighborhood, as well.
Surveillance video tracks the car around Boston.
McCauley explains that during ride back toward North Attelboro, Hernandez tells Lloyd that when they were at a club, Rumors, the previous Friday night, "certain things upset him," including Lloyd talking to some people Hernandez had "troubles" with. McCauley did not indicate how he obtained this information.
Prosecution says the text indicates the "temperature" in the car"
3:07: Lloyd texts his sister, "Did you see who I was with?"
McCauley suggests that this indicates the "temperature" in the car.
Lloyd does not receive a response.
3:11: Lloyd texts his sister again, "Hello"
3:19: Lloyd's sister responds, "My phone was dead. Who?"
3:22: Lloyd responds, "NFL"
3:23: Lloyd: "Just so you know"
By this point, the four men inside the silver Altima have gotten off I-95 on Route 152, near Hernandez's home, McCauley says records show.
3:23 a.m.: McCauley says surveillance video shows the Altima at a fork in the road. McCauley indicates that one way leads to Hernandez's home, the other down a gravel road where Lloyd's body would later be found. Video shows Hernandez's car going down the gravel road behind a group of industrial buildings.
3:23-3:27: People working the overnight in the industrial park hear gunshots.
3:27: Silver Altima is viewed coming out of gravel road.
3:29: Video at Hernandez's home shows the silver Altima pulling into his driveway.
McCauley states that the distance between where Lloyd's body was found and Hernandez's home is a 2-minute drive.
The crime scene:
• According to McCauley, police found five shell casings – three at Lloyd's feet, two some distance away.
• An autopsy showed two wounds to the chest – one near the left nipple, the other near the right nipple.
• Lloyd did not appear to be robbed, as he still had his wallet, phone and keys.
McCauley explained that Hernandez returned the Altima to a rental car agency, with the driver's-side mirror missing. A worker at rental agency discovered a shell casing under the driver's seat, next to a Bubblicious wrapper. The shell casing and the gum wrapper were tossed into a garbage bin, where police later found.
After McCauley finished, Hernandez's defense team requested their client be granted bail based on the prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence. "It is at bottom a circumstantial case," Hernandez's attorney Michael Fee told the court. "It is not a strong case." Bail was denied and Hernandez, who stood expressionless through most of the arraignment, remained in custody.