Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez has killed himself in prison, it has been confirmed.

The Massachusetts Department of Corrections revealed Hernandez was discovered in his cell at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley Massachusetts at approximately 3:05 a.m on Wednesday morning.

“Mr. Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population unit,” a statement from Massachusetts prison authorities read, adding that he had attempted to block his door from the inside.

Hernandez's family has been notified and police are investigating.

Hernandez was serving life in prison after being convicted of the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2015. Hernandez's death comes five days after he was acquitted of murdering two men in 2012.

The 27-year-old was charged with the double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado - immigrants from Cape Verde - but on Friday a jury found him not guilty on most of the eight counts he faced, including murder and armed assault.

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Hernandez was a tight end with the New England Patriots from 2010 to 2012 and just weeks after the double murder of Mr Abreu and Mr Furtado, signed a $40 million contract with the team.