The odds of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez escaping murder charges in an upcoming court case may have just gotten a lot better.

The ex-New England Patriots player is scheduled to go to trial next year for charges in the shooting death of his friend Odin Lloyd in June 2013. However, on Friday, a judge ruled that text messages sent by Lloyd to his sister moments before he was killed cannot be used as evidence in the trial.

Prosecutors argued that the texts indicate that Lloyd, a semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancé, was afraid of Hernandez minutes before he was fatally shot at an industrial park near Hernandez's mansion.

The messages were sent while Lloyd was in a car with Hernandez. One message said: "U saw who I'm with," while another indicated the person was "NFL," referring to Hernandez, reports the Associated Press.

After hearing arguments, Judge E. Susan Garsh stated that the theory that Lloyd was in fear is "clearly in the realm of speculation" and "does not comport with common sense." She went on to say the texts did not suggest any hostility and that prosecutors failed to meet the burden to prove Lloyd felt he was at an "imminent death."

In addition, Judge Garsh ruled that prosecutors cannot bring up the 25-year-old ex-NFL star's other murder charges in the 2012 drive-by slayings of two men. He was charged with fatally shooting the men over a spilled drink at a Boston nightclub, reports ESPN Boston. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Prosecutors have suggested that Hernandez was motivated to kill Lloyd after he may have showed him the spot where the double shooting allegedly took place. The judge, however, said there is no correlation between the two crimes.

Furthermore, Garsh ruled that prosecutors may not introduce the shooting of Alexander Bradley, a former associate of Hernandez, who has filed a lawsuit accusing the ex-player of shooting him in the face in 2013 after an argument in Florida.

Jury selection is slated to begin on Jan. 9, 2015.