Dennis "D.J." Hernández, older brother of the late NFL player Aaron Hernández, has made headlines again after pleading guilty to threatening a mass shooting at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

The incident marks another dark chapter in the Hernández family's troubled history—a saga marked by the downfall of a sports star and its ripple effects on those close to him.

Details of the case

Dennis Hernández was arrested in July 2023 for making multiple threats of violence against UConn, where he once played college football.

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Authorities reported that Hernández sent messages via Facebook Messenger and posted on social media about his intent to carry out a shooting on campus. His threats targeted three specific individuals, including a state judge.

Officials described Hernández's behavior as erratic during this arrest, noting he claimed to have "nothing to lose." These statements, along with explicit threats, led to federal charges of interstate threats, carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

On October 31, 2024, Hernández pleaded guilty in an apparent effort to reduce his sentence. His sentencing hearing is set for February 6, 2025, when his legal fate will be decided.

The Hernández family

The Hernández family has been in the spotlight since 2013, when Aaron Hernández, Dennis's younger brother and a former New England Patriots star, was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who dated the sister of Aaron's fiancée. Aaron was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2015, marking the end of his promising NFL career.

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In April 2017 he died by suicide in his prison cell, leaving unanswered questions about his mental health and the pressures he faced. His rise and fall were later examined in the Netflix docuseries Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernández, which explored how a bright future unraveled into tragedy.

Dennis Hernández's case highlights the ongoing struggles within the Hernández family. With sentencing pending, Dennis faces legal consequences for his actions, further fueling public interest in the family's tragic narrative and sparking debates about mental health, family dynamics, and the toll of life under media scrutiny.

--Originally appeared on 'Latin Times.'

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