Aaron Hernandez's Fiancée Has Been Granted Immunity And Will Testify Against Him

This development is a turning point in the Aaron Hernandez trial.

Pool / Reuters

Shayanna Jenkins, Aaron Hernandez's fiancée, has been granted immunity to testify against him.

Prosecutors will rely heavily on Jenkins' testimony to make their case against Hernandez. Without her cooperation, they would have attempted to sway a jury without producing a motive or the .45 Glock used to murder Odin Lloyd. This development presents a turning point in the case against Hernandez.

Jenkins, who was previously indicted on a perjury charge, has long been rumored to have disposed of the murder weapon. Court documents show a text message from Hernandez to Jenkins that prosecutors say was a coded message to dispose of a gun:

Go in back of the screen in movie room when u get home an there is the box avielle likes to play with in the tub jus in case u were looking for it!!!! Member how u ruined that big tv lmao WAS JUST THINKIN bout that lol wink wink love u TTYL ..... K

Last week, Jenkins' sister Shaneah, who was dating Odin Lloyd at the time of his murder, testified that she watched her sister carry a bulky black bag out of Hernandez's mansion the day she learned of Lloyd's murder.

The immunity deal was proposed weeks before the trial began, but it is unknown why Jenkins decided to take the deal now, three weeks into her fiancé's trial. Had she declined immunity, she would have taken the stand, but likely would have plead the fifth, with an understanding that prosecutors might not have a case against Hernandez, and eventually her, without her testimony.

On Friday, the jury was taken on a field trip to Hernandez's home in North Attleborough, where surveillance video showed him coming and going—returning with a gun in hand—the night of Odin Lloyd's murder.

Jenkins still resides in the home with their daughter, who was born on Hernandez's birthday in 2012.