The man who is talking with authorities in the Odin L. Lloyd murder investigation that has led to murder charges against former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez today is now facing charges of being an accessory after the fact to Lloyd’s murder, Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter said today.
Carlos Ortiz, Hernandez and a third man, Ernest Wallace, were in the same car with Lloyd when all four men rode from Dorchester to North Attleborough early in the morning of June 17, a ride that ended at an industrial park in North Attleborough where Lloyd was shot to death.
Hernandez has been charged with orchestrating Lloyd’s murder, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held without bail at the Bristol County Jail. Wallace, whom prosecutors have called Hernandez’s “right hand man,’’ is being held on $500,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty to accessory after the fact to Lloyd’s murder.
Ortiz, who has been in custody on unlawful possession of weapons charges, is now facing accessory after the fact charges, the same as Wallace. Both men face a maximum of seven years imprisonment if convicted. Ortiz no longer faces weapons charges that have been pending in Attleboro District Court, officials said.
In Bristol Superior Court on Thursday, Assistant Bristol District Attorney Patrick Bomberg said that the 27-year-old Ortiz has changed his account of the final moments leading up to the fatal shooting of Lloyd,.
Ortiz previously told authorities that Hernandez and Wallace got out of a rental vehicle with Lloyd in the industrial park where Lloyd was shot multiple times. Ortiz has consistently said that he remained inside the car, according to authorities.
But now, Ortiz “does not think†Wallace exited the vehicle with Hernandez and Lloyd, Bomberg said during a bail hearing for Wallace on Thursday.
Prosecutors allege that Wallace drove Ortiz to Bristol, Conn. -- the hometown for all three men -- after the killing in a second vehicle that Hernandez rented, and that he later abandoned the car.
David Meier, a lawyer for Wallace, said during the hearing Thursday that even though his client is charged as an accessory after the fact, there has been no allegation that he committed acts typical of that offense, such as driving a getaway car, helping to hide evidence or a suspect, disposing of robbery proceeds, or helping a suspect flee.
He also questioned whether there was convincing evidence that Hernandez committed the killing and said Wallace has “every incentive†to appear in court for future hearings.
An arraignment date for Lloyd has not yet been set.
Wallace is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 8.
Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe. John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.
