Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee remains in custody following his arrest in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Perpétuo, in Ooltewah, Tennessee. The case has quickly escalated, with Lee now facing a first-degree murder charge and an additional charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence.
Lee, a former first-round pick by the New York Jets in 2016, was denied bond Wednesday by Judge Tori Smith, according to Hamilton County court records. Authorities responded to a 911 call on February 5, where someone reported performing CPR on a woman inside the home Lee and Perpétuo had been renting for just ten days. When officers arrived, Perpétuo, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The case has drawn significant attention not only because of Lee’s NFL background but also due to the disturbing details emerging from the investigation. According to an arrest affidavit, Lee initially told police he found Perpétuo unresponsive on the couch and believed she may have slipped in the shower. However, investigators noted several red flags inside the home, including broken glass scattered across the kitchen and what they described as “multiple concerning conditions.”
More troubling, police reported finding extensive blood throughout the residence-on floors, walls, and in multiple rooms. Crime scene investigators also discovered signs of attempted cleanup, including cleaning supplies near areas where blood was detected but no longer visible to the naked eye. Blood was also found inside Lee’s cellphone case.
Lee himself had visible injuries that authorities say were “consistent with a violent altercation,” including facial wounds, lacerations on his hands, and injuries to his chest.
The autopsy, observed by a detective from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, revealed a devastating list of injuries to Perpétuo. The medical examiner found signs of brain trauma, a broken neck, bruising across her body, stab wounds to her legs, bite marks on her shoulder and thigh, and facial injuries. The official autopsy report has not yet been made public.
Investigators also recovered alcohol, narcotics, and a firearm from the scene, according to the affidavit.
Lee, now 31, was once a standout at Ohio State before entering the NFL as the 20th overall pick in 2016. He played three seasons with the Jets before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019.
While the Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl 54 that year, Lee did not appear in the game. He later had brief stints with the Buffalo Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders, though his NFL career never regained consistent footing.
Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp has indicated that the death penalty is on the table, though no final decision has been made. Lee is being represented by public defender Mike Little, who has declined to comment publicly, citing the early stage of the legal proceedings. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 9.
This is a deeply troubling case involving a former professional athlete whose life has taken a tragic and violent turn. As the legal process unfolds, the focus will remain on the pursuit of justice for Gabriella Perpétuo and the full accounting of what happened inside that Tennessee home.