Ex-NFL Star Is Facing The Death Penalty
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee is now facing a first-degree murder charge in Tennessee in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Carvalho Perpetuo.
According to News Channel 9 ABC in Hamilton County, a grand jury indicted Lee after authorities investigated Perpetuo’s death earlier this year in Ooltewah, Tennessee. If convicted, Lee could face life in prison or even the death penalty under state law.
Prosecutors have dropped a separate charge of tampering with evidence and will focus on the murder case moving forward. Investigators allege that Lee killed Perpetuo at a home in Ooltewah and later tried to cover up what happened.
Court documents and reports also claim that Lee used ChatGPT while dealing with a situation involving someone who was unresponsive.
Murder Case Moves Forward
An autopsy found that Perpetuo suffered “multiple injuries,” according to News Channel 9 ABC. Her family has also filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Lee.
Court records reportedly show previous allegations of domestic violence involving the former NFL player before authorities arrested him in Tennessee.
Lee remains in custody as the criminal case moves through the court system.
Prosecutors have not ruled out seeking the death penalty. Tennessee law allows prosecutors to pursue either life imprisonment or capital punishment in first-degree murder cases.
A grand jury in Tennessee has indicted former NFL LB Darron Lee on a first-degree murder charge. https://t.co/0Y0wq0Ek1M
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) June 11, 2026
The case marks a dramatic fall for a player who once reached the highest level of football.
Lee built his football reputation at Ohio State, where he earned All-American honors and helped the Buckeyes win a national championship. The New York Jets selected him with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
He spent three seasons with the Jets and recorded 273 tackles and four sacks before the team traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019.
Lee contributed mainly on special teams during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV season. Although he did not play in the Super Bowl, he remained part of the championship roster and earned a Super Bowl ring.
After Kansas City, Lee appeared in several games for the Buffalo Bills in 2020. He later joined the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad during the 2021 offseason before the team released him from injured reserve.
