BRISTOL, Conn. _ Family, friends and former teammates of ex-New England Patriots star and convicted killer Aaron Hernandez, who was found hanged in his prison cell last week, attended a ceremony Monday at a funeral home here in Hernandez's former hometown.
Hernandez's brother, Jonathan "D.J." Hernandez, his mother, Terri Hernandez, his fiance, Shayanna Jenkins, and the couple's 4-year-old daughter, Avielle Jenkins-Hernandez, attended the private ceremony at the O'Brien Funeral Home.
Former teammates Brandon Spikes, who played with Hernandez for the New England Patriots, and brothers Maurkice Pouncey of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Pouncey of the Miami Dolphins, also attended. The Pouncey brothers played with Hernandez at the University of Florida.
Police closed Lincoln Avenue to traffic Monday morning and kept media crews off the property.
The ceremony lasted about two hours. Burial was also private.
Hernandez's body was taken to the funeral home on Saturday, said Laura Soll, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association. Soll said Monday that Hernandez will be cremated.
Ron Sullivan, a member of Aaron Hernandez's legal team, read a brief statement to reporters after the funeral.
"The family of Aaron Hernandez wishes to thank the public for its thoughtful expressions of condolences," the statement said. "The family wishes to say goodbye to Aaron in privacy. They thank everyone in advance for affording them some measure of privacy during this difficult time. They love him and miss him."
Attorney Jose Baez declined to take questions after the statement was read.
Hernandez, serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd, hanged himself last week in a Massachusetts prison cell, authorities said.
