ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WHDH) — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke for the first time on the murder investigation focused on Aaron Hernandez.
Kraft said Hernandez tricked the entire team, telling reporters “If this stuff is true, then I’ve been duped and our whole organization has been duped”.
Kraft went on to say, “My heart goes out to the Lloyd family. I feel bad that someone connected to our organization is connected to this.”
Hernandez has been charged with murder in the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.
Kraft also said, “When [Hernandez] was in our building, we never saw anything where he was not polite. He was always respectful to me. We only know what’s going on inside the building. We don’t put private eyes on people.”
The Patriots cut Hernandez from the team an hour after he was arrested in connection with Lloyd’s death. Kraft said a week before Hernandez was arrested, the decision had already been made to immediately cut him from the team if he was arrested.
The organization is wasting no time closing the Hernandez chapter — Kraft said 2,000 Hernandez jerseys were traded in over the weekend during a free jersey exchange on No. 81 jerseys. The exchange cost the Patriots $250,000.