AARON HERNANDEZ 2010 Topps football card #96 DECEASED

This auction is for a 2010 Topps football card featuring New England Patriots tight end and suspected serial killer Aaron Josef Hernandez (11/6/1989 ─ 4/19/2017). Hernandez athletic achievements are certainly not up for debate. He set state records while playing high school football in Connecticut and received the John Mackey Award for his 2009 college performance while attending the University of Florida. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2010, which would be the start of his professional football career. By mid 2012 Hernandez would sign a $40 million dollar, 5 years contract extension with the Patriots. But there was another list of "achievements" attributed to Hernandez. His first serious criminal accusation would come 4/28/2007, after assaulting a restaurant employee, resulting in serious bodily injury. It's reported that Hernandez was drinking alcoholic beverages prior to the assault. He was able to resolve the matter out of court. That same year he was a suspect in a stoplight vehicle shooting, that injured two of the three occupants after their leaving a nightclub. He was questioned in regards to the shooting, but invoked his rights, and was never formally charged. Hernandez would be charged with a 7/16/2012 double homicide, the two victims being shot while inside their vehicle. He would ultimately be acquitted on 4/17/2017. On June 13, 2013, in Miami, FL, Hernandez "accidentally" shot a friend while the two were driving together. This matter, too, was settled out of court. Hernandez would find himself linked to the 6/17/2013 murder of a semi-professional player. Given Hernandez's track record, no pun intended, the team's management decided that if the tight end was arrested he would be released from his NFL contract. Both events occurred on June 26, 2013. Hernandez was convicted of first degree murder on 4/15/2015 and received an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole. On April 19, 2017 Hernandez was found dead in his single-man cell, an apparent suicide. An odd twist to this tragic story, being Hernandez was in the appeals processes at the time of his death, the murder conviction was vacated, thus he died an innocent man. He was 27.

ITEM DESCRIPTION: The 2010 Topps football card will come in a thin protective plastic sleeve and will be packed secure and sturdy. This card is in pristine shape and while my specialty isn't sports or collector card grading, I feel safe saying that is card is in near mint condition. There are no surface scratches on either side and the corners are sharp. The face of the card features an image of the late tight end. On the reverse is a list of athletic career stats and cropped version of the cover photo. The card number is 96. Message me with any questions you might have. Thanks for having a look-see.

ADDITIONAL SHIPPING INFORMATION: If you would like this card to be mailed in an Ultra-Pro 3"×4" Premium Toploader, a far more secure way to protect this card during transit, please select the U.S.P.S. Tracking option for shipping, otherwise the card will be mailed in a plastic card protector in between two pieces of heavy card stock.