Story highlights Sheriff: A gang unit will investigate Hernandez's tattoos

The former New England Patriots player is charged with murder

Prosecutor: "He orchestrated the crime from the beginning"

A defense attorney says the evidence is circumstantial

Authorities charged former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez with first-degree murder on Wednesday, hours after police arrested him and the NFL team that once gave him a $40 million contract dropped him from its roster.

Hernandez is accused in last week's shooting death of Odin Lloyd, whose body was found in an industrial park area less than a mile from Hernandez's home.

Hernandez "drove the victim to the remote spot, and then he orchestrated his execution," First Assistant District Attorney Bill McCauley said in court Wednesday.

"He orchestrated the crime from the beginning, he took steps to conceal and destroy evidence, and he took steps to prevent the police from speaking to ... an important witness," the prosecutor said.

Hernandez pleaded not guilty.

A judge ordered him held without bail.

Defense attorney Michael Fee had said that the evidence is circumstantial and that bail should be granted so that Hernandez can return home to spend time with his fiancee and 8-month-old child.

Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Former NFL football player Aaron Hernandez attends his murder trial in Fall River, Massachusetts, on Thursday, January 29. The state accused Hernandez of orchestrating the shooting death of semi-pro player Odin Lloyd, the boyfriend of his fiancee's sister, in 2013. Hernandez pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder, but he was convicted on Wednesday, April 15, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez is led into a Boston courtroom to be arraigned in May 2014. Evidence collected in Lloyd's death investigation led to two additional murder charges against Hernandez in a separate case in Boston. In that case, Hernandez is accused of shooting Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, allegedly over a spilled drink at a nightclub. The double shooting took place in July 2012, almost a year before Lloyd was killed. Hernandez, who pleaded not guilty, will be tried in that case after the Lloyd trial. Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez At a news conference in May 2014, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley announces that Hernandez has been indicted for the July 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez is brought into the Attleboro, Massachusetts, District Court for his arraignment on June 26, 2013. He was charged with first-degree murder in Lloyd's death. Hernandez was released by his NFL team, the New England Patriots, less than two hours after his arrest. Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez catches a pass during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012. Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez scores a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez celebrates his Super Bowl touchdown. Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez answers questions during Super Bowl Media Day on January 31, 2012. Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez scores a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on January 1, 2012. Hernandez played three seasons with the Patriots, catching 18 touchdowns. Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Tattoos on Hernandez's arm are visible during a pregame warmup on December 4, 2011. Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez looks up after being tackled during a game in Philadelphia on November 27, 2011. Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez carries the ball as the Patriots play the Cincinnati Bengals in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on September 10, 2010. Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: Rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez Hernandez, center, reacts during the SEC Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide on December 6, 2008. Hernandez's Gators went on to win the national title. Hide Caption 13 of 13

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"It is a circumstantial case. It is not a strong case," Fee said, arguing that Hernandez was not a flight risk and had cooperated with authorities.

Lloyd's family tearfully watched during Wednesday's hearing. They did not speak to reporters after leaving the courthouse.

Hernandez, 23, wore a white T-shirt when he appeared in court. He stood beside his attorney, his hands cuffed.

After the court hearing, Fee said Hernandez is "doing fine."

A gag order issued during the hearing stopped attorneys from providing additional details afterward.

The Patriots released Hernandez Wednesday after he was arrested and booked at a police station in North Attleborough.

Hernandez's next court date, for a probable cause hearing, is scheduled for July 24. That's when the state would have to prove it has enough evidence to move forward. But it's possible that Hernandez will be indicted before then, in which case a probable cause hearing would be unnecessary.

Prosecutor: Surveillance footage shows Hernandez with gun

After days of secrecy in the closely watched investigation, the prosecutor's comments in court provided the first detailed account of Lloyd's killing and the evidence detectives have uncovered.

A jogger found Lloyd's body, riddled with gunshot wounds, in a secluded area of an industrial park near Hernandez's house June 17, McCauley said.

Investigators later found five shell casings at the scene. Inside Lloyd's pocket, McCauley said, they found a wallet and keys to a car that Hernandez had rented.

JUST WATCHED Aaron Hernandez led away in handcuffs Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Aaron Hernandez led away in handcuffs 00:48

Photos: Athletes charged with murder Photos: Athletes charged with murder Convicted murderer and former NFL star Aaron Hernandez was found hanged in his Massachusetts prison cell Wednesday morning, officials said, just days after his acquittal in a separate double murder case Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius was charged with murdering his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013. Pistorius, the first double-amputee runner to compete in the Olympics, was convicted of murder and sentenced to six years in prison. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Lawrence Phillips, a former NFL running back who was awaiting trial on charges of killing his prison cellmate last year, died in January after being found unresponsive in his prison cell, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. The death of Phillips, 40, was being investigated as a suicide, the department said. Phillips was sent to a California prison in 2008 after being convicted of domestic violence, false imprisonment and vehicle theft charges. While serving a 31-year sentence, authorities say, he killed his cellmate in April 2015. A trial was anticipated in Kern County, California. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Rae Carruth , who was a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, became the first active NFL player ever charged with first-degree murder. His pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams, was killed in December 1999, and prosecutors said he arranged for her to be killed in a drive-by shooting. Carruth was eventually convicted of conspiring in her murder, and he is now in prison. The unborn child, a boy, survived. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Middleweight boxer Rubin Carter , known as "Hurricane" in the ring, served 18 years in prison for a triple homicide in a bar in 1966. A federal judge overturned his sentence and that of his alleged accomplice, John Artis, in 1985, ruling that the conviction was based on "racial stereotypes, fears and prejudices." Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Groundbreaking skateboarder Mark "Gator" Rogowski confessed to beating and raping Jessica Bergsten, then choking her to death and burying her in the desert in 1991. Bergsten was a friend of Rogowski's former girlfriend, and Rogowski testified that he acted out of misplaced anger against his ex. Rogowski was denied parole in 2011 and will not be eligible for parole again until 2018. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and two others were charged with murder in 2000 after a fight in a popular Atlanta bar district left two men dead on the street. The murder charges against Lewis were dropped after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice and testified against his friends; they were later acquitted. Lewis announced his retirement before helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl in 2013. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Bruno Fernandes das Dores de Souza , a former goalie for the Brazilian soccer club Flamengo, was convicted in March 2013 for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. He was sentenced to 22 years and three months for the murder of Eliza Samudio, who disappeared in 2010. Souza, his current girlfriend and his ex-wife were among nine people charged with torturing and murdering Samudio, who had been trying to prove Souza had fathered her son. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Athletes charged with murder Although O.J. Simpson was found not guilty, the former football star's 1995 murder trial has kept him a household name. Simpson was acquitted in the death of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman. In October 2008, Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison on multiple counts, including armed robbery and kidnapping, in connection with a robbery at a Las Vegas hotel in 2007. Hide Caption 9 of 9

Earlier that same day, around 2:30 a.m., the prosecutor said, the 27-year-old Lloyd was seen leaving his Boston home with Hernandez in a silver Nissan Altima.

Less than an hour later, surveillance cameras at the North Attleborough industrial park showed the vehicle heading toward the remote area where Lloyd's body was later found, McCauley said.

"The car goes down there at 3:22," McCauley said. "Four minutes later, the car is visible again. During the interval between 3:23 and 3:27, people who were working the overnight shift hear gunshots."

Minutes later, surveillance video from Hernandez's home security system shows the former NFL player arriving back at his house with two other people, according to the district attorney. Hernandez appears to be holding a firearm, McCauley said.

"The defendant goes walking through the house with the gun in his hand. That is captured in the video. ... And they all go down to the basement," McCauley said. "Once in the basement, the surveillance gets shut off."

McCauley said the gun Hernandez was carrying in the surveillance video has not been found.

Investigation continues

For several days, investigators searched the area near Hernandez's home as they investigated Lloyd's death. Authorities said Wednesday the investigation was ongoing.

In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Hernandez faces five weapons-related charges, including carrying a firearm without a license.

It was unclear whether there had been any additional arrests in the case.

"One critical part of this case that we don't know anything about at this point is the two other men (Hernandez is) accused of being with," CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said. "Were they shooters? Were they involved? Will they flip against Hernandez? They are obviously key figures in this, and we'll watch how that unfolds."

In court on Wednesday, the prosecutor described what he alleged was a tense conversation between Hernandez and Lloyd inside the Nissan Altima and described what Hernandez and his associates had done at the scene of the shooting. He did not reveal how investigators had learned that information.

Inside the car, according to McCauley, Hernandez told Lloyd he was angry because of Lloyd's behavior at a Boston club they had gone to together several days earlier.

"There were certain things that had happened during the night that he was upset about and now didn't trust the victim," McCauley said. "He told him one of the things he was mad about. ... At the club the victim had spoken to a couple of people, and the defendant told him that he was upset about that because he had some troubles with those people."

Victim's family reacts

Lloyd's sister, Olivia Thibou, told CNN last week that her brother and Hernandez went to a Boston nightclub together a few days before Lloyd's death.

Her brother was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee, she said.

She said she didn't know of any problems between Hernandez and her brother, who worked for a landscaping company.

Before Wednesday's hearing, Thibou said she was glad to hear about Hernandez's arrest.

"God is great," she said. "It's the best news I've had since my brother was killed last week."

Patriots drop Hernandez

The Patriots -- who gave Hernandez a five-year, $40 million contract last year -- released him from the team after his arrest, but before the charges against him were made public Wednesday.

"Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation," the team said in a statement.

The NFL released its own statement, calling the involvement of a player in the case "deeply troubling."

Both the NFL and Patriots expressed sympathy for the victim's family.

On Wednesday, about a half-dozen plainclothes police officers went to Hernandez's house and then led him out in handcuffs. He was wearing a white T-shirt and shorts.

Sheriff: Gang unit will investigate Hernandez's tattoos

Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson said he expects living behind bars will be a major adjustment for the former NFL star.

Wednesday night's dinner at the Dartmouth House of Correction was chop suey, green beans and a slice of bread, the sheriff said. Hernandez will only be allowed out of his one-person cell for showers and phone calls. Authorities will perform background checks on any visitors.

Hodgson said he met with Hernandez "as soon as he came in" to the facility and told him he'd receive no special treatment.

Asked how Hernandez responded, Hodgson said, "He did not seem nervous," adding he was "polite and respectful."

Hernandez is currently being held in the jail's medical unit while he undergoes further screening, including mental health, physical and security tests.

As part of the security screening, authorities will determine whether he has any gang affiliations.

"He had tattoos that our gang unit would be looking at ... to see if he's involved in any kind of gang," Hodgson said. "Doesn't mean he is."

The tattoos raise suspicion, the sheriff said, and investigators will follow up with interviews to further determine the significance of what they saw.

"He'll be treated no better and no worse than any other inmate," the sheriff said.