Uncle of victim says Hernandez investigation moving ‘quickly enough’

DORCHESTER, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com/AP) – The uncle of a 27-year-old man who was found dead less than a mile away from the home of Patriots' TE Aaron Hernandez says the investigation is moving "quickly enough."

Odin Lloyd's body was found in an industrial park in North Attleboro on June 17.

"We think the investigation is moving quickly enough, especially being that he's from Dorchester," said Odin's uncle Ed, who has not revealed his last name to FOX 25.

Ed told FOX 25's Crystal Haynes that the family is working on services for Lloyd and his death is "Still a dream for me. It's unreal."

Lloyd's aunt, Shirley Phillip, said her nephew was well-liked, loved football and his family. She said the investigation is unbelievable.

"What a kid like Odin could possibly do (to make) somebody (want) to take his life," said Phillip.

According to Lloyd's sister Olivia Thibou, who spoke with Haynes off-camera, Lloyd often hung out with Hernandez and admired him. Thibou said Lloyd even dated Hernandez's girlfriend's sister for a time. She said she believed Hernandez and Lloyd were together the night that he died.

"We're undecided about what happened. We're concerned," said Phillip. "We're wondering what could have happened, we just want to know. We want closure."

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Bristol County district attorney's office said Sunday that officials are not releasing details in the case. Lloyd's death has been ruled a homicide.

On Saturday, a team of investigators spent hours combing through Hernandez's home and vehicles for evidence and left with several large bags.

Hernandez was initially linked to the case after an Enterprise rental car rented in his name emerged as a key piece of evidence in the investigation.

On Friday, a source told FOX 25's Bob Ward that a paper warrant for obstruction of justice was issued for Hernandez's arrest. That warrant had not been executed as of Sunday morning.

FOX 25 legal analyst Brad Bailey says the use of a paper warrant is often used as a means of negotiation with a defense attorney.

"It may be that this is a squeeze tactic," Bailey explains. "It may be telling Mr. Hernandez that we have a warrant, a warrant for a crime that has a potential maximum penalty of seven years in prison, is a tactic to get him to come to the table, start talking and start cooperating. And that's where the lawyers may be saying, okay, we got it. You got our attention. We're willing to respond."

If the warrant were entered into the system, any police officer could immediately arrest Hernandez.

Last week, Ward's sources confirmed that officers discovered that a hard drive to Hernandez's home surveillance system and his cell phone had been heavily damaged.

Sources said there was video evidence of Hernandez and two other men wearing hooded sweatshirts walking into Hernandez's home within minutes of neighbors hearing gunshots between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. Monday morning. The sources said neighbors did not report the shots right away.

About an hour before Hernandez was seen on video walking into his home, he was seen at Lloyd's home in Dorchester according to another source.

Hernandez, Lloyd, and two other men were reportedly at a bar in Boston the night of the homicide. At some point the four men left together in a car driven by Hernandez which was confirmed by a text Lloyd sent another friend, a source said.

Police in Providence, R.I. told FOX 25 Saturday they helped North Attleboro and Mass. State police obtain surveillance video from Club Desire. The video requested was filmed over a series of several days. It is currently unclear what connection the video has to a murder investigation taking place near the Patriots tight end's North Attleboro home.

Hernandez, a University of Florida Graduate and native of Bristol, Conn., was drafted by the Patriots in 2010. He had five touchdowns for the Pats during the 2012 season.

If you have any information, please contact North Attleboro Police at (508) 695-1212 or Massachusetts State Police tip line at 1-866-SOLVE-07 (765-8307).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group