Tejasvani Datta
When one looks at murder cases, one tends to focus either on the murderer or the victim. But the real tragedy is experienced by the survivors of the victim as their entire lives shatter before them. Nothing can ever prepare us for something like that. Netflix’s latest true crime docuseries, ‘Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez’, is one of those rare documentaries that lets us inside that tragedy while obviously focusing on Hernandez’s own life and struggles. It presents various sides of the story and manages to remain sensitive to them all.
During high-profile murder cases like the one of Odin Lloyd, all the attention usually shifts to the murderer, which is, in this case, is late NFL star Aaron Hernandez. It is easier to forget the survivors who continue to live the tragedy for the rest of their lives, but their struggles shouldn’t be forgotten. It was heartbreaking to see Odin’s mother and his girlfriend during the trial.
Ursula Ward Was Immensely Close to Her Son
Odin Lloyd was born in Saint Croix, Virgin Islands, to Ursula and John Lloyd. He was their first child and only son. The family then moved to Antigua and eventually to Dorchester, Massachusetts, where they continued to live. He also had two sisters, Olivia Thibou and Shaquilla Thibou. When Odin was murdered by Hernandez, he used to live with his mother and sisters in Dorchester. He was also a semi-professional football player for the Boston Bandits. A neighbor of the family, Genevor, mentioned, “That’s her only son. She’s a loving mother… Yes, we are in the ’hood, but she works hard and raises a good man.”
Ursula and the rest of the family were immensely close to Odin. His death was a huge shock for the family when the police found his body in North Attleborough in 2013. Ursula has been grieving her son and suffering from the consequences of his death from the moment the police rang her doorbell to inform her about her son’s death. She was well aware of some of the things going on in his life, but she never expected things to take such a tragic turn.
Ursula Ward Knew of Odin’s Romantic Involvement With Shaneah Jenkins
Shaneah Jenkins was in a serious relationship with Odin Lloyd, and it can be assumed that Lloyd knew Aaron through her. She is the sister of Aaron’s fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, and his daughter Avielle’s aunt. Shaneah is three years younger than her sister and also attended Bristol Central High School like Shayanna and Jenkins.
Shaneah lived and worked in Connecticut, while Lloyd was from Dorchester. But their paths crossed when Lloyd came to Connecticut for work: “It was at the hotel I worked at. He came down to work, and they stayed there. I worked overnight shifts. He would come down and keep me company. Yeah, it was a little awkward…But he would just come down and talk to me literally for my entire shift. He wouldn’t sleep.”
The two soon began to date and often hung out with Aaron and Shayanna and even went on trips together. Jenkins learned about Odin’s murder through a phone call she received the morning after his death, which devastated her. She and Ursula later bonded over their grief. In fact, as time passed, they began calling each other family.
Ursula Ward Was in Court Throughout The Trial For Her Son’s Murder
The trial was a particularly distressing period for the two women who found family in each other due to the common loss and pain they were experiencing. It was during the trial that Shaneah, in a way, lost her own sister, who she was once very close to. Shayanna chose to side with Hernandez, the then-alleged murderer. It was reported that when Shaneah learned about Odin’s death, she immediately went to Shayanna’s place. But things took a drastic turn when all evidence pointed towards Hernandez, and within days, he was arrested for Odin’s murder. The sisters have been estranged ever since and even sat on opposite sides during the trial.
As for Ursula, it was devastating to even look at her during the trial, especially the time she was called to identify her son but was told “not to cry.” But she is one fierce mother who fought till she felt that justice was served to her son. Ursula and Shaneah sat next to each other during the verdict and breathed a sigh of relief as Aaron was convicted. Ward stated that she had already forgiven Aaron: “I forgive the hands of the people that had a hand in my son’s murder, either before or after. And I pray and hope that someday, everyone out there will forgive them also.”
Ursula Ward Sadly Couldn’t Even Grieve Her Son Without Futher Issues
Due to the abatement ab initio law in Massachusetts, Aaron’s suicide after his conviction erased the verdict because he had appealed. These were deeply troubled times for Odin’s family, especially as they suffered a lot after his death and Aaron’s conviction. In fact, the mother of three almost even lost her home.
With the help of her attorney, Douglas Sheff, she filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Hernandez and his estate. She stated, “It’s not about the civil case. It’s about my son, Odin Lloyd. It’s about families that lost their loved ones, and we need justice”. But it was ultimately the abatement that raised serious questions about the judge’s verdict against them and the outdated law.
Nevertheless, Ursula was not angry with the ruling, she simply felt as if it made her unable to properly grieve as she thought justice was served before being taken back. Thankfully for her, in 2019, the jury concluded that the doctrine of abatement ab initio is outdated, and Hernandez’s conviction was restored.
Ursula Ward Now Prefers to Lead a Quiet Life
It has been a while since we last heard about Ursula Ward and Shaneah Jenkins. However, we have reason to believe that Jenkins found a family in her late boyfriend’s mother and his sisters. Since there have been no concrete updates on their lives, we can assume that Ward still lives with her family in Fayston Street, Dorchester, while Jenkins continues to live in Connecticut. They both now prefer to lead their lives well away from the limelight in the hopes of moving on while still keeping Odin alive in their hearts. However, we do know Ursula still visits her son’s gravesite nearly every day and tries to celebrate his life on the anniversary of his death by hosting a cookout with the entire family, including her grandchildren.
Read More: Where is Shayanna Jenkins Now?
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