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Aaron Hernandez's home searched

NFL, New England Patriots

Investigators searched Aaron Hernandez's North Attleboro, Mass., home Tuesday in connection with the death of a man who police said was an associate of Hernandez and now plan to search a rental car registered to the New England Patriots tight end, ABC News reported.

ABC News reports that Hernandez cooperated with Massachusetts investigators on Tuesday night after initially being uncooperative earlier in the day. Investigators now plan to search the rental car, which was near the body of the dead man.

The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Mass., reported on Tuesday that police identified a rented 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island license plates in the town 40 miles south of Boston in connection with the possible homicide. The paper reported the vehicle is registered to Enterprise and investigators were hoping to analyze it for fingerprints.

The investigation is far from being completed, sources told ABC News on Wednesday.

During the search Tuesday that lasted hours, two friends of Hernandez who were in the house tried to leave but were stopped by state police at the end of the driveway. Crime scene investigators later searched the car the men attempted to leave in, according to the report. 

On Tuesday night, some police officers stood on the front steps of Hernandez's home and others could be seen inside. Some walked around the driveway and in the garage with flashlights. Before wrapping up their work for the night, one officer took a box out of the massive house.

Hernandez has not been named as a suspect, but a rental vehicle with Rhode Island plates was found near the scene, which led investigators to Hernandez, SI.com reported.

Hernandez was initially uncooperative with police after the body of a 27-year-old man was found in an industrial park not far from the Patriots player's home, two law enforcement sources told ABC.

Hernandez is represented by the Athletes First agency, which said it has no comment "on the Aaron Hernandez situation." The player's mother said by telephone from Connecticut on Tuesday she had no knowledge of a case involving him.

"I am aware of the reports, but I do not anticipate that we will be commenting publicly during an ongoing police investigation," Patriots spokesman Stacey James said.

The Patriots drafted Hernandez out of Florida in 2010. Since then, he has combined with Rob Gronkowski to form one of the top tight end duos in the NFL.

In 38 games, the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Hernandez has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns. He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and had shoulder surgery in April, but is expected to be ready for training camp. The Patriots have not said which shoulder was operated on.

Last summer, the Patriots gave Hernandez a five-year contract worth $40 million, according to reports. The deal came just months after the team locked up Gronkowski through 2019.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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