Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots star, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd by a Massachusetts jury, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hernandez had been charged with murdering the 27-year-old Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée. Lloyd had been shot six times and his body had been found less than a mile away from Hernandez's home.

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At the time of his arrest, the 25-year-old Hernandez had a contract with the Patriots worth $40 million. However, within hours of his arrest, the Patriots fired Hernandez, who was considered one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

In closing arguments last week, the Hernandez's defense team admitted that their client was present when Lloyd was shot and killed, but claimed that he was not the shooter. Hernandez's lawyers claimed it was a possible PCP-rage killing by either Ernest Wallace or Carlos Ortiz, friends of Hernandez who are drug dealers in Connecticut.

The defense also said the prosecution didn't have any hard evidence that proved Hernandez shot Lloyd, and no motive for the murder was ever solidly established.

Prosecutors said Hernandez planned the "orchestrated execution" because of an incident in a night club, and then helped to cover it up. It took seven days of deliberation for the jury to reach its verdict.

Although the prosecution didn't have any eye witnesses testimony, it compiled a large collection of circumstantial and forensic evidence.

Some  of the most damning evidence against Hernandez was taken from his home security system. Jurors were able to see Hernandez, Wallace and Ortiz arrive at the house minutes after the murder, which helped confirm the prosecution's timeline theory. It was not long after that that Hernandez was seen inside his home carrying a Glock .45 semiautomatic pistol that prosecutors say was the murder weapon.

According to Massachusetts state law, a first-degree murder conviction carries an automatic sentence of life without parole. It also automatically triggers an appeal to Massachusetts' highest court. A date for that appeal has not yet been set.

Although the Lloyd trial has concluded, it's not the end of Hernandez's legal nightmares. He'll have to do it all over again next month as he faces a May trial for an alleged 2012 double murder.

TagsAaron Hernandez Found Guilty of Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison, Aaron Hernandez, guilty, Odin Lloyd, Murder, first degree, new england patriots, tight end