A Massachusetts detective testified that bubble gum was found attached to a bullet shell casing that was recovered from a car Aaron Hernandez had rented -- evidence, prosecutors say, that linked him to the murder of Odin Lloyd.

North Attleborough Police Det. Michael Elliott said they were called by a rental car company employee, who told them that several items had been removed from a car Hernandez rented and put in a trash bin.

Elliott said investigators searched that garbage bin and found the spent shell casing attached to the piece of gum.

 

 

 

 

Throughout the trial, the defense has questioned how police handled evidence in the case.

Hernandez, 25, bought Blue Cotton Candy Bubblicious gum at a gas station just hours before he allegedly shot Lloyd in an industrial lot at 3 a.m. on June 17, 2013, prosecutors have said in court documents.

After Elliot's testimony, a rental car company manager supported the police's account, testifying today that she found a shell casing inside a vehicle Hernandez had rented.

Keelia Smyth, who worked at Enterprise Rent-a-Car at the time, said she found the bullet casing while cleaning the rented Nissan Altima after the former NFL star had returned it. Not knowing Lloyd had been murdered, she said she put the shell casing she found -- along with some chewed blue-colored gum and a bottle of Vitamin Water -- inside a trash bin.