Aaron Hernández's Girlfriend Accused of Hiding Evidence; NFLPA Fights To Get Former New England Star Paid

The girlfriend of former New England Patriot Aaron Hernández, Shayanna Jenkins, was indicted on perjury charges in connection with the killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd on June 17 but pleaded not guilty in court, according to Latin Times.

In the case, Hernández is accused of murdering Lloyd while Jenkins was accused of lying to a Massachusetts grand jury that later indicted the former NFL player for first-degree murder. Authorities believe the 24-year-old woman knows what happened to the gun used to kill Lloyd, citing documents and text messages.

Jenkins was also accused of lying about a box Hernández asked to get rid of. According to the Times, when she was asked about the box, the woman invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

At the time he was murdered, Lloyd was dating Jenkins' sister. Investigators believe that after Lloyd was killed, Jenkins took the missing box from the basement of the house she shared with Hernández. According to the Times, the couple placed the box in a trash bag and covered it with baby clothes. Then, they took it and drove away.

There's no official release about what the box contained. However, Carlos Ortiz, an associate of Hernández who is charged as an accessory to murder, told investigators the murder weapon was in the now missing box. According to court records, Ortiz said that after murdering Lloyd, Hernández took the gun used in the killing and hid it in a box in the basement.

When Jenkins was questioned about the box she said she had tossed it in a dumpster but she couldn't recall where the dumpster was. The weapon used to murder Lloyd has not yet been found.

The New England Patriots were quick to drop Hernández from the team when he was arrested back in June: they reportedly ended his contract exactly 90 minutes after his arrest. Now the NFL Players Association accused the Patriots of not following the protocol and is fighting to get the money they believe is legally owed to Hernández.

According to the Times, an NFL source told the Boston Globe the NFLPA has filed two grievances on behalf of Hernández. They want Hernández to get $6.292 million in "guaranteed money" from New England.