Aaron Hernandez was a former NFL player who was convicted of murder. He had a difficult childhood with an alcoholic father who abused him and his mother. Hernandez displayed signs of CTE like aggression, paranoia, and impulse control issues. An autopsy found he had one of the worst cases of CTE ever seen in someone his age, which may have contributed to his criminal and violent behavior. His personality was likely kinder originally but neurological changes from CTE caused paranoia and aggression.

1. Aaron Hernandez
Cameron Aaron

2. Disclaimer
I make no ad hominem judgements, but I am just using the biopsychosocial tools
that I have at my disposal.

3. Who was Aaron Hernandez?
● Player for the New England Patriots
● 23 years old
● Puerto Rican descent and italian descent
● Convicted for murder of Odin Lloyd
● Recognized as an All-American at the University of Florida
● Received scholarship to UCONN before even finishing High School for
Football
● Killed many other people then proceeded to play an entire season of football

4. Nature
● Father was a alcoholic
● Anger issues on the father's side (outbursts)
● Possible genetic predisposition to CTE

5. Nurture -Parents
● Father would often beat him and his mother if he was having a bad day
● Homophobic father
● Father was very tough on him and pushed him in football
● Parents argue everyday
● Family is described as sporadic
● Went to a good school
● Mother dated Aaron’s cousin's husband the day after the father died

6. Nurture -Cousin’s Family
● Much less structured (Smoking, drinking, drugs, partying with criminals)
● Enjoyed living with his cousin much more
● Cousin is the closest person to Aaron

7. Pre-murder Reputation Pre College
● Easy going
● Made friends with everyone
● Very personable
● Very passionate and hardworking
● Very adaptable

8. Video

9. Reputation in College
● People pleaser
● Loving father
● Has powerful influence over people (Girlfriend/Cousin)

10. Professional Career Personality
● Did not like people looking at him because he thought he was being tried
and tested
● Bought many guns in order to feel more protected. Outfitted his car with
places to store guns
● Harmed people who could not defend themselves. They all had no weapon.
● Fired a full clip at a guy’s car because many hours ago he accidently
splashed a drink on him in a club
● Extremely Paranoid

12. Identity
● Was in many homosexual relationships in High School with other players on
his football team
● Was unable to admit his true sexuality due to fear of being disowned
● Spent years in college getting tattoos and having a lot of female relationships
● Became very aggressive and got in many fights (In college)
● People close to him believe his behavior was a way to cover the fact he was
gay
● Refers to Transgender people as those things
● Hard worker
● Was considered a “crash dummy” Meaning he would do anything to gain
social acceptance

13. Pre Draft Psychological Evaluation
● Low scores in maturity
● Many failed drug tests
● Concerns over the lack of structure he had when he goes back home to
Connecticut and his relapsing

14. Time in Jail
● Was happy and adapted easily
● Showed aggression to other inmates
● Emotionless in court

16. Big 5 traits

18. Big 5 Analysis
Low level of openness
High levels of Conscientiousness
High levels of Extroversion
Low level of agreeableness
High levels of Neuroticism

20. Biological Psychology
● One of the most CTE that BU has ever seen in a young person
● Atrophy of the Fornix
● Enlarged ventricles

22. Diagnosis
● CTE stage 3
● Atrophy of the Fornix
● Enlarged ventricles
● Was called one of the most advanced progressions of CTE in the decision
centers of the that we have ever seen.

23. CTE Stage 3 Pathology
● 75% with Stage III CTE were considered cognitively impaired
● Executive dysfunction
● Memory loss
● Explosivity
● Difficulty with attention and concentration
● Mood swings
● Impulse control issues

24. Conclusion
● This is likely a mixture of Neurological and Environmental factors
● Personality is likely more kind and loving but due to neurological changes
paranoia become apparent

25. Citations
A Criminal Mind? A Damaged Brain? Narratives of ... (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335820568_A_Criminal_Mind_A_Damaged_Brain_Narratives_of_Criminality_and
_Culpability_in_the_Celebrated_Case_of_Aaron_Hernandez
Bracken, T. (2017, November 9). Aaron Hernandez's CTE Worst Seen in a Young Person. Retrieved from
http://www.bu.edu/articles/2017/aaron-hernandez-cte-worst-seen-in-young-person/
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. (2019, June 4). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-
traumatic-encephalopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370921
Jaeger, M. (2018, October 15). Aaron Hernandez 'had sexual relationship with high school quarterback'. Retrieved from
https://nypost.com/2018/10/14/aaron-hernandez-had-sexual-relationship-with-hs-quarterback/