Should Carlos Ortiz testify in the Aaron Hernandez murder case, jurors will have to gauge his words against his drug-filled background.
According to court documents released Tuesday, Ortiz, an alleged accomplice in the case, told police that Ernest Wallace, a second alleged accomplice, told him the day after the shooting that Hernandez admitted to killing Odin Lloyd.
Court records show that Ortiz's criminal record includes convictions for larceny, assault, criminal mischief and interfering with an officer, according to a USA Today report.
In May, Ortiz told his probation officer that he "was abusing PCP, alcohol and THC daily," police said in an affidavit for a parole violation arrest obtained by the newspaper.
Ortiz then failed to attend a mandatory in-patient drug-abuse program over the course of the next month, the affidavit said, and later tested positive for alcohol, cocaine, PCP and THC.
After Lloyd was shot near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough, Mass., Ortiz and Wallace returned to Bristol, Conn., where, according to court records made public in Florida on Tuesday, Ortiz told police that Wallace said Hernandez shot Lloyd.
Prosecutors say Hernandez, Wallace and Ortiz drove with Lloyd in a rented Nissan Altima to the industrial park where Lloyd was fatally shot.
Ortiz told police that during the drive Hernandez told Lloyd that Lloyd had been "chilling" with people Hernandez had problems with, the documents say. But Ortiz told police the two men shook hands and the problem seemed smoothed over. However, the Altima soon stopped, and everyone but Ortiz got out to urinate, according to Ortiz's account.
The witness told police he then heard gunshots before Hernandez and Wallace got back into the car without Lloyd and the car sped away.
Ortiz said he couldn't see who fired the shots because it was dark. Back at Hernandez's home, Ortiz said, Wallace asked him to get a small gun out from under the driver's seat. Ortiz said he did and gave it to Hernandez once they were inside.
Ortiz said he then went to sleep. When he woke up in the afternoon, according to his account, the three men returned the Altima and rented a Chrysler 300 before returning to Hernandez's home. Ortiz and Wallace then went to an apartment in the area that Hernandez and other football players used. Wallace let Ortiz in before leaving for a long time, the documents say. The two then drove to Bristol. Ortiz told police Wallace said Hernandez shot Lloyd.
Hernandez, Wallace and Ortiz appear linked through Bristol. Wallace told Florida police he grew up with Hernandez's father. Ortiz's attorney, John Connors, said Tuesday his client, who's athletic and around the age of Hernandez's older brother, is from Bristol.
The gun used to shoot and kill Lloyd is still missing. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in Lloyd's killing.