New England tight end Aaron Hernandez has been receiving quite a bit of attention this past week after evidence in a murder case came to light that appears to implicate the football star. Despite the high-profile of the case, or perhaps because of it, local police are now being especially cautious with the investigation.

"All records of the Attleboro District Court Clerk -- Magistrate's Office involving the homicide investigation in the Town of North Attleboro have been impounded by order of the Court," said a statement by clerk Mark Sturdy. "No further information is available at this time."

Hernandez has been front and center in the investigation ever since Odin Lloyd, 27, was found in an industrial park close to Hernandez's home. Lloyd was the boyfriend of Hernandez's girlfriend's sister, and the two had been seen together mere hours before Lloyd was shot in the back of the head late Sunday night.

Since his body was found, quite a bit of evidence has surfaced that appears especially damning for Hernandez. He had destroyed both his security equipment and his cell phone after Sunday night, and also had a cleaning crew come into his house Monday morning. It was first reported that Hernandez had been charged with obstruction of justice, but it has now been confirmed that he has yet to be formally charged in the case.

"None of these false reports come from official sources and we appreciate the professionalism and restraint shown by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office to date with regard to its public statements while its investigation is underway. Out of respect for that ongoing investigation, we will continue to refrain from commenting on its substance."

Still, despite the current lack of charges, Hernandez does face serious consequences from the NFL. It is likely that he will be suspended for at least a few games during the next season, and if he is found guilty on any of the charges, it's possible that he could also lose millions of dollars as well.

"At the least, it appears he's guilty of drawing negative attention to himself, the Patriots and the NFL; that, in and of itself, could lead to some action from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. I don't know this for certain, but I would imagine the Patriots feel a bit betrayed by Hernandez after they made a big financial commitment to him just 10 months ago. If that's the case, it wouldn't surprise me if ties are cut," noted Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston.