Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee indicted on murder charge

A former NFL linebacker has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his girlfriend earlier this year. Darron Lee, 31, was indicted by a grand jury in Hamilton County, Tennessee, on Tuesday, June 10, 2026, for the killing of Gabriella Carvalho Perpetuo, 29. The incident occurred in February at a residence in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

Prosecutors have dismissed a separate charge of tampering with evidence to focus solely on the murder case. Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp stated the state is pursuing a first-degree murder conviction, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment. Wamp added that a decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made in the coming weeks.

An autopsy report listed Perpetuo's cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, detailing 12 separate injuries including multiple hematomas, bone fractures, and stab wounds. Prosecutors allege Lee killed Perpetuo and then attempted to conceal the crime. Evidence presented in court indicates Lee used the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT, asking it how to get medical help without contacting police and inquiring whether a fall could cause specific injuries matching those...