The fiancee of Aaron Hernandez has spoken out for the first time since the former football star’s suicide.
In a sit-down with Dr. Phil McGraw that will air next week, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez details what she thought upon first learning Hernandez had killed himself.
And that can be summed up in one word: Shock.
“I thought it was a hoax, that this was some cruel person playing a trick on me,” Hernandez tells of her reaction when she received the phone call that Hernandez was dead.
The ex-New England Patriots tight end was serving a lifetime prison sentence for the 2012 murder of Odin Lloyd when he hanged himself last month.
Shayanna was not the only close confidant of the convicted killer’s who didn’t believe Hernandez would ever do such a thing, as his lawyer initially called for an investigation to determine whether or not Hernandez was killed.
In the past couple weeks, however, grisly new details have emerged.
For example:
- Hernandez used his own blood to draw circular, Jesus-like circles on each of his feet.
- He wrote “John 3:16” in red ink on the walls.
- He used cardboard to make it difficult for guards to enter his cell.
- He poured shampoo on the floor to also make it difficult for these same guards to run to his rescue in case they caught him in the act.
Most damning of all, though, is that Hernandez wrote three suicide notes prior to taking his own life.
One was to his attorney; one was to an alleged gay lover in prison; and one was to Jenkins.
“Shay, You have always been my soul-mate and I want you to love life and know I’m always with you. I told you what was coming indirectly,” reads this note.
It continues:
“I love you so much and know you are an angel – literally.
“We split into two to come change the world! Your characteristics is that of a true angel and the definition of God’s love!
“Tell my story fully but never think anything besides how much I love you.
“This was the Supreme’s, the Almighty’s plan, not mine! I love you! Let (redacted) know how much I love her! Look after (redacted) and (redacted) for me.
“They are my boys (you’re rich). I knew I loved you = Savage Garden.”
Since this note went public, a Massachusetts judge has actually cleared Hernandez of murder (it’s complicated and strange; read all about the ruling HERE), which means Jenkins may now be free to collect $ 6.5 million due to Hernandez by the Patriots.
But this isn’t Shayanna’s focus at the moment.
She has a four-year old daughter to raise, and many questions that still need to be answered.
“I felt like we were looking so bright. We were going up a ladder to a positive direction,” Jenkins-Hernandez tells Dr. Phil, adding that she never discussed suicide with her fiance.
She had no idea this was on Hernandez’s mind.
This two-part interview will air on Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 16.
According to McGraw’s official website, Jenkins-Hernandez will set “the record straight about her fiancé’s mysterious jail cell death” during the episode, while also touching on “rumors about his purported secret romantic life, and if she thinks he killed himself so that she could collect millions of dollars.”
We’ll update this story if/when more news breaks as a result of the Dr. Phil special.
Until then, we continue to send prayers to his young child.