Boston

Key Witness: Aaron Hernandez Started Showing ‘Paranoia' After Deadly Shooting

Alexander Bradley took the stand as the prosecution's star witness against Hernandez Monday

A former friend of ex-New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez took the stand in Hernandez’s double murder trial this week. 

Alexander Bradley described the moments leading up to the deadly shooting at a Boston stoplight in July 2012 as the prosecution's star witness against Hernandez Monday. 

Prosecutors accuse Hernandez of fatally shooting Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado as he rode in a silver Toyota 4Runner after one of the victims bumped into the defendant at Club Cure, spilling his drink. Bradley was allegedly inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

When they saw de Abreu and Furtado drive away from the club in a BMW, Hernandez and Bradley got into the Toyota and followed them, the witness testified Monday.

Hernandez had him roll down the window and told him to watch out before he "said 'What's up now (expletive) and started firing shots into the car," Bradley said.

After the murders, Hernandez and Bradley when to the home of Bradley's daughter in Connecticut, and Hernandez's cousin Tanya Singleton arrived, Bradley testified. Singleton and Hernandez allegedly had a hushed conversation, and took the SUV with her when she left.

"He told her to take it to clean it up and put the car in a garage," Bradley said on the stand.

As police investigated the 2012 shooting, Bradley said Hernandez began showing signs of paranoia around iPhones and helicopters and "just assumed everyone was a detective." Hernandez was also allegedly having nightmares about the shooting.

"We kind of just kept our distance from one another a little bit after the murder," Bradley said.

Bradley also told the jury about how Hernandez shot him in the face, leaving him without sight in one eye.

"I wanted revenge. I didn't want to tell on him," he said. "I wanted to make it even."

Hernandez also faces witness intimidation charges for allegedly shooting Bradley in the face in 2013. Bradley settled a lawsuit with Hernandez in court. 

Hernandez is serving a life term for the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee.

Contact Us