Former NFL Player Darron Lee in Court as Prosecutors Cite ChatGPT Messages

Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee appeared in a Tennessee courtroom Tuesday as prosecutors presented evidence, including messages exchanged with the AI chatbot ChatGPT, that they say relate to the death of his girlfriend.

Lee, 30, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Gabriella Perpétuo at their home in Ooltewah, located northeast of Chattanooga. Deputies responding to a reported medical emergency discovered Perpétuo unconscious in the living room. Paramedics were unable to revive her.

During the preliminary hearing in Hamilton County court, prosecutors showed body-camera footage from deputies at the scene. In the video, Lee told officers he did not know why Perpétuo was unresponsive and said he had been upstairs prior to finding her.

Investigators described the home as disordered, with items scattered across multiple rooms and broken glass present. Lee told deputies that a window had been left open, and heating the house allegedly caused the glass to break. Crime scene photos introduced in court revealed blood in several areas, including walls and a kitchen island. Prosecutors said additional traces of blood were later identified using the forensic detection agent Bluestar.

The preliminary autopsy conducted by the Hamilton County medical examiner found Perpétuo had sustained multiple injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, including facial bruising, a fractured cheekbone, broken teeth, and an upper cervical spine fracture. The report also documented shallow stab wounds to the chest and thigh, along with a bite mark on the shoulder.

Prosecutors introduced messages recovered from Lee’s phone showing exchanges with ChatGPT in the hours before he called 911. According to the state, Lee described a scenario involving a fictional woman and asked whether injuries similar to those observed could result from a fall. Authorities said the messages suggested Lee was seeking guidance on how to respond to someone unresponsive.

Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp told the court that the messages indicated Lee was attempting to explain the injuries and possibly conceal the events at the home. Lee’s public defender, Mike Little, said the prosecution’s case relied entirely on circumstantial evidence.

Judge Tori Smith ruled that sufficient evidence had been presented for the case to proceed. The matter will now be referred to a grand jury, which will decide whether Lee will be formally indicted. He remains in custody at the Hamilton County jail without bond, and prosecutors are considering whether to pursue the death penalty.

Lee was drafted 20th overall in 2016 by the New York Jets after a standout college career at Ohio State Buckeyes football. He later played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. He was on the Chiefs roster during their Super Bowl LIV victory in 2020 but did not appear in the game. His final NFL appearance came with Buffalo later that year.