ID’s “Murder Under the Friday Night Lights” Returns with a Two-Hour Premiere Special on Aaron Hernandez [VIDEO]

This January, Investigation Discovery’s MURDER UNDER THE FRIDAY LIGHT NIGHTS returns with all-new episodes, kicking off with a gripping two-hour season premiere. Dive deep into the downfall of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and uncover the previously untold story of his connection to two high school football teammates who also ventured down a dark and dangerous path. AARON HERNANDEZ AND THE UNTOLD MURDERS OF BRISTOL premieres Wednesday, January 8 @ 9PM/8c on ID with new episodes of MURDER UNDER THE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS airing Wednesdays @ 9PM/8c beginning January 15.

Tracing back to his days at Bristol Central High School in Connecticut, AARON HERNANDEZ AND THE UNTOLD MURDERS OF BRISTOL delves into the tragic intersection of Aaron Hernandez with two of his high school teammates, Alex Ryng and Nicholas Brutcher, who, in a disturbing twist of fate, also went on to commit murder. For the first time ever, hear exclusively from those who knew Hernandez best, from former teammates to childhood friends like Alex Bradley, who was shot in the face by Hernandez, and Ernest Wallace, his driver and family friend who was with Hernandez the night Odin Lloyd was murdered. Shedding additional insight into how the dangerous mix of head trauma, drug use and toxic masculinity turned into tragedy are Sports Broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak, as well as Rolling Stone’s senior writer Paul Solotaroff. The special episode reveals a chilling pattern of violence that began in Hernandez’s youth, carried throughout his football career and his affliction with a severe case of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), and culminated in his suicide in 2017.

“In this new documentary spin-off from the team behind ID’s signature series ‘Murder Under the Friday Night Lights,’ intimate details of Aaron Hernandez’s life are uncovered, featuring exclusive interviews that shed new light on this tragic story,” said ID President, Jason Sarlanis. “The investigation reveals the disturbing connections between Hernandez and two other murderers from his high school football team, exposing deeper issues in their upbringing that may have influenced their paths.”

Featuring cases from across the country with first-hand accounts from those who knew these crimes intimately paired with gripping archival footage, each episode of MURDER UNDER THE Friday NIGHT LIGHTS showcases how an off-the-field tragedy can have ramifications that tarnish the beloved sport. Each episode gives viewers a first-hand account of what happens when a community’s lifeblood is football, and real blood is spilled. The additional episodes this season include:

Guilt Will Get You

Premieres Wednesday, January 15 @ 9PM/8c

To say that Paul Reagor and Jerry Bailey are close friends would be an understatement. When the two football coaches mysteriously disappear, a small Oklahoma town’s racial tensions are exposed along with the high stakes of high school football.

A Cheerleader’s Reject

Premieres Wednesday, January 22 @ 9PM/8c

On New Year’s Eve, former cheerleader Valerie Zavala is invited to a party with high school football players and cheerleaders. When she is found murdered the next morning. Investigators in Fillmore, CA collect home video from the party to find clues to identify her killer.

Monster Among Trolls

Premieres Wednesday, January 29 @ 9PM/8c

Middle school cheer captain Tristyn Bailey is the future of Friday night lights at Creekside High. Police investigating her disappearance have to navigate teenage rumors and gossip in their small Florida town to identify a monster in their midst.

Until Parents Get Involved

Premieres Wednesday, February 5 @ 9PM/8c

A Texas community is forced to confront a troubling reality inside youth sports after a football coach is gunned down during a game in front of dozens of witnesses, including his own family. A former NFL player is at the center of the investigation.

Dirty Little Lies

Premieres Wednesday, February 19 @ 9PM/8c

In 1985, police find the body of a beloved coach in the barrens of southeast Texas, triggering a murder investigation laced with sex, jealousy and revenge. Investigators close in on the killer, but an eleventh-hour twist tears the community apart.

Futures Ruined

Premieres Wednesday, February 26 @ 9PM/8c

In Pearland, Texas, the Hill family lives in a gated community near Dawson HS, where their daughter Arrijana is a popular athlete. When she is found murdered in her bedroom, detectives learn that Arrijana was hiding a secret that leads them to her killer.

Nothing to Cheer About

Premieres Wednesday, March 5 @ 9PM/8c

18-year-old Josh Missiledine, a male cheerleader on one of the most prestigious squads in Mississippi, vanishes the day before the state championship. While searching for Josh, Investigators discover secrets from the troubled past he is trying to escape.

Caught in a Trap

Premieres Wednesday, March 12 @ 9PM/8c

A prominent football coach at a private high school in St. Louis, 27-year-old Jaz Granderson, dies shortly after calling 911 to ask for help after suffering a gunshot wound. Police race to identify a mystery woman who they believe lured Jaz to his death.

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MURDER UNDER THE Friday NIGHT LIGHTS is produced for Investigation Discovery by Lion Television US.