Aaron Hernandez Murder Case: Former NFL Player's Associate Pleads Guilty to Being Accessory to Odin Lloyd Murder
Ortiz Claimed It Was Only Hernandez Who Shot the Victim
A year after former NFL player Aaron Hernandez was convicted for the murder of Odin Lloyd, his friend also entered a guilty plea for being an accessory to the June 2013 killing.
Four to Seven Years Jail Sentence
Carlos Ortiz, an associate of the ex-New England Patriots tight end, pleaded guilty to the accessory charge before the Bristol Superior Court. He is now expected to face a jail time of four and a half to seven years. Hernandez's pal had a deal with prosecutors to enter a guilty plea in exchange for the dropping or murder charges against him.
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The 30-year-old told Superior Court Judge Susan Marsh that on the night that Lloyd was murdered, he accompanied Hernandez, the victim and another buddy Ernest Wallace to an industrial park in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. This was where Lloyd's body was recovered.
Gunshots Fired
"When we got to the spot, the only two people that got out of the car was Aaron Hernandez and Odin Lloyd," he said, adding that he later heard gunshots fired. "The only one person that came in was Aaron Hernandez."
Ortiz's lawyer, John J. Connor, mentioned that his client was only with Hernandez that time for the ride. The counsel also claimed that since Ortiz already served three years of his jail time, he will be eligible for parole in about a year.
Motive for Killing Still Unclear
The motive of the crime still remains a big question even after Hernandez's conviction of first-degree murder last year. He is serving a life sentence and also awaiting trial for the murder of two other individuals in 2012.
On the other hand, Wallace was also found guilty of being an accessory to the crime and will face the same jail time as Ortiz. It was added in the same report that Ortiz was the man who was seen on a surveillance video carrying the murder weapon inside the residence of Hernandez.
Ortiz's Mother Turned Emotional
The court schedule was also an emotional moment for Lloyd's mother Ursula Ward, who said that she hoped the killers of her son will be able to forgive themselves for taking the love of her life.
"My heart aches, for three years of not hearing my son's voice, not seeing his smiling face,'' Ward said.
