Aaron Hernandez's fiancée tearfully opens up about NFL star's death: 'I thought it was a hoax'

Aaron Hernandez's fiancée Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez has finally broken her silence on the NFL star's shocking death in prison on 19 April.

Jenkins tearfully opened up about Aaron's death on an episode of Dr Phil's talk show, which is set to air in two parts on 15 and 16 May. She reveals to the host that she initially disbelieved reports about his suicide and thought it was all a hoax.

Shayanna who shares four-year-old daughter, Avielle, with the former New England Patriots player, told Dr Phil McGraw: "I got a call at 5.27am in the morning from some official at [the] prison and he informed me, informed me that indeed Aaron was deceased and at first I thought it was a hoax. I thought that this was some cruel person, that it was a cruel person playing a trick on me."

Hernandez, who was serving a life sentence for murdering acquaintance Odin Lloyd, was found hanging in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. In a tearful excerpt from the interview released this week, she told the host, "I felt like we were looking so bright. We were going up a ladder to a positive direction." The mother-of-one also said that the last conversation she and Hernandez had "had nothing to do with suicidal thoughts".

Previously, a handwritten suicide note addressed to his fiance was released by Massachusetts court officials. The letter detailed Hernandez's devotion to his fiancée, who continuously stood by his side. The letter reads, "Shay, you have always been my soul-mate and I want you to live life and know I'm always with you. I told you what was coming indirectly!"

He continued, "Tell my story fully but never think anything besides how much I love you. This was the supremes, the almighty's plan, not mine! I love you! Let [redacted] know how much I love her! Look after [redacted] and [redacted] for me—those are my boys (You're Rich)."