Former NFL First Round Pick Indicted on Murder Charges

IMG Channel 9 News Tennessee

By Bo Crouch ~ Axess Sports

Darron Lee once seemed destined for a long NFL career.

The former first-round pick went from starring at Ohio State to hearing his name called by the New York Jets with the 20th overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played alongside some of the league's top talent, spent time with a Super Bowl-winning team, and reached a level of football that few athletes ever achieve.

Now, at 31 years old, Lee faces allegations that could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Lee in June on a charge of first-degree murder stemming from the death of his girlfriend earlier this year. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence, and prosecutors have not ruled out seeking the death penalty under Tennessee law.

From Ohio State Star to First-Round Pick

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on October 18, 1994, Lee moved to New Albany, Ohio, as a child and quickly established himself as one of the state's most versatile high school athletes.

He excelled on both sides of the football, piling up more than 1,700 offensive yards while also making plays in the secondary. That versatility caught the attention of Ohio State, where he originally arrived as an athlete before making the switch to linebacker.

The move paid off almost immediately.

After redshirting in 2013, Lee emerged as one of the nation's top young defenders. He earned Freshman All-American honors and was named the defensive MVP of the Sugar Bowl as the Buckeyes captured the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship.

His rise continued into the NFL.

The New York Jets selected Lee with the 20th overall pick in 2016, and he started 36 games over three seasons in New York. He later joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and was part of the organization's Super Bowl LIV championship team, though he was inactive for the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Lee's NFL career effectively ended after a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills in 2020.

The Allegations Against Lee

Lee's name had surfaced in legal trouble before.

In 2017, reports indicated the NFL investigated an incident involving Lee and his girlfriend at the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City. No arrests were made, and the matter did not result in criminal charges. The allegations he faces now are far more serious.

Authorities say Lee was arrested in February 2026 after his girlfriend, 29-year-old Gabriella Perpetuo, was found dead inside a residence in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

According to investigators, an autopsy determined Perpetuo died from multiple blunt force injuries. The report also documented trauma to her head and face, a stab wound to her chest, and a bite mark on her shoulder that investigators collected for DNA analysis. Her death was ruled a homicide.

On February 6, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office announced Lee had been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented evidence alleging Lee had communicated with ChatGPT the day before Perpetuo's death. According to court testimony, Prosecutors alleged Lee used ChatGPT to ask questions about an unresponsive person and injuries consistent with a shower fall. Those allegations were presented during a preliminary hearing and have not been proven in court

Authorities have not publicly released additional details regarding those communications beyond what was presented in court.

Previous Legal Issues

Court records also indicate Lee was on probation in both Ohio and Florida at the time of his arrest.

According to the Associated Press, Lee was on probation in Ohio and Florida stemming from separate assault-related cases involving another man, his mother, and the mother of his child.

Those cases are separate from the Tennessee murder case and do not determine Lee's guilt or innocence in the current proceedings.

What's Next?

On June 12, 2026, a Hamilton County grand jury formally indicted Lee on the first-degree murder charge.

Prosecutors later dropped the tampering with evidence charge, choosing instead to focus on the more serious murder allegation.

A trial date has not yet been publicly announced.

If convicted, Lee faces a life sentence in prison. Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp has also stated prosecutors will determine whether to pursue capital punishment as the case moves forward.

For now, the former Ohio State star and NFL first-round pick remains at the center of one of the more tragic stories involving a former professional athlete—a case that will continue to unfold in the months ahead.