NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. — State police officers and dogs searched the
home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez again Saturday as
they continue to investigate the killing of a semi-pro football player
whose body was found nearby.
The search of Hernandez's sprawling
home and vehicle in North Attleboro began in the afternoon lasted for
more than three hours and involved several officers, including one with a
crowbar, and locksmiths.
Detectives and uniformed officers who
searched the home, its backyard and playhouse did not comment to
reporters on what they were looking for or what caused them to return to
the house located not far from where the Patriots practice.
Police have previously searched in and around the home as they try to figure out who killed Odin Lloyd.
A
jogger found Lloyd's body in an industrial park about a mile from
Hernandez's home on Monday. Family members said Friday that Lloyd had
been dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee for about two years. They
said the two men were friends who were together the night Lloyd died.
Authorities have ruled Lloyd's death a homicide.
A
spokeswoman for the Bristol District Attorney's office declined to
comment on the investigation Saturday. A state police spokesman referred
questions to the district attorney's office.
An attorney for Hernandez has said he would not comment on the searches.
Police
in nearby Providence, R.I., said they had assisted Massachusetts state
police and North Attleborough police with activity related to the
Hernandez investigation at a strip club named Club Desire. It was
unclear if they believed Lloyd and Hernandez might have been at the club
in the days before Lloyd died. A reporter was escorted out of the club
Friday afternoon before she could speak with employees or patrons.
On
Friday, Attleboro District Court clerk magistrate Mark E. Sturdy said
three search warrants had been issued in the investigation earlier in
the week but have not been returned, meaning they're not public. He said
no arrest warrants had been filed in state courts by the time court
closed at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Courts were closed Saturday.
Patriots
spokesman Stacey James has said the team does not anticipate commenting
publicly during the police investigation. NFL Commissioner Roger
Goodell was waiting for the legal process to take its course.
The murder investigation is already hitting Hernandez financially.
CytoSport,
a Benicia, Calif.-based company that makes Muscle Milk and other
supplements for athletes, said Friday it was ending Hernandez's
endorsement contract, effective immediately, because of the
investigation.
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. 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. Last summer, the Patriots gave him a five-year
contract worth $40 million.
Hernandez said after he was drafted
that he had failed a drug test while with the Gators and had been
upfront with NFL teams about the issue.
Earlier this week, a man
filed a lawsuit in South Florida claiming Hernandez shot him in the face
after they argued at a strip club there.
