Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, who signed an endorsement deal with Puma earlier this year, was charged with murder in the death of 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez, who was released by the Patriots earlier Wednesday, appeared in a packed courtroom at Attleboro District Court
around 2:30 p.m. ET. He faces six criminal charges, the most
significant being first degree murder. Lloyd was reportedly shot execution-style about a half-mile from Hernandez's home on June 17.
Puma has not yet commented on the latest developments, and last week declined to comment on the pending investigation. In April, Puma announced a two-year contract with Hernandez to become a face of the brand’s training category. It later signed a contract with Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who was picked by the Minnesota Vikings with the 29th pick in the NFL draft, to also support the category.
CytoSport, the maker of health supplements, last week dropped Hernandez as the face of Muscle Milk.
