Former NFL Linebacker Darron Lee Arrested, Charged with First-Degree Murder
Darron Lee, a former first-round NFL Draft pick who spent time with the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and briefly with the Buffalo Bills in 2020, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering following a disturbing incident in Tennessee.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a residence in Ooltewah, Tennessee, where first responders were already attempting life-saving measures on a woman found unresponsive. Lee, 31, was identified at the scene and taken into custody shortly thereafter.
Lee reportedly told deputies he discovered the woman unconscious on the couch and suggested she may have fallen in the shower. However, details from the affidavit paint a far more troubling picture.
Investigators noted there were no signs of forced entry into the home, but broken glass and blood were found in multiple areas, including the kitchen. The affidavit states that the "amount and location of the blood did not match Lee's explanation." Authorities also found cleaning supplies in unusual places around the house, and blood was discovered inside Lee’s cell phone case.
Further raising suspicions, Lee was reported to have visible injuries-specifically to his face, hands, and chest-that investigators say were consistent with a physical struggle.
The woman, whose identity has not been released pending family notification, was found with multiple injuries. These included a stab wound to the abdomen, bruising across her head, eyes, torso, and arms, and a bite mark on her shoulder. Investigators also found evidence that blood had been cleaned from various surfaces throughout the home.
Lee is currently being held in the Hamilton County Jail.
A standout linebacker at Ohio State, Lee was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He spent three seasons in New York before a brief stint with the Chiefs in 2019. He joined the Buffalo Bills in 2020, appearing in two games and recording one tackle.
This is a tragic and deeply unsettling development involving a former NFL player whose career once held great promise. The legal process will now take its course as authorities continue their investigation.