Aaron Hernandez's fiancée goes on Dr. Phil, thought suicide news was hoax

Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, the fiancée of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, was as surprised as anyone to hear news of Hernandez’s suicide.

Hernandez, who killed himself in his prison cell as he served a life sentence for murder, left a note for his fiancée which said, in part, “You’re rich.” Jenkins-Hernandez did an interview on the daytime show “Dr. Phil” and Dr. Phil asked her about the intent of Hernandez’s suicide, referencing the amount remaining on his Patriots contract.

“Did he kill himself so that you could collect $6.5 million?” Dr. Phil asked her, according to excerpts from the show that will air Monday and Tuesday.

Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez testifies in court earlier this year. (AP)
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez testifies in court earlier this year. (AP)

Hernandez’s murder conviction was vacated after his suicide, based on an old Massachusetts law. That has opened up speculation about his rights to receive the rest of the guaranteed money on his Patriots contract.

From Jenkins-Hernandez’s few comments that were released, it doesn’t seem she had any idea Hernandez was having thoughts of suicide. She didn’t believe the news when she got it.

“I thought it was a hoax, that this was some cruel person playing a trick on me.” Jenkins-Hernandez told Dr. Phil.

Jenkins-Hernandez said her last conversation with Hernandez “had nothing to do with suicidal thoughts.” Hernandez had just been acquitted on a double murder charge, and was appealing his murder conviction for the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd.

“I felt like we were looking so bright. We were going up a ladder to a positive direction,” Jenkins-Hernandez said.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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