Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee faces a first-degree murder charge after a grand jury in Hamilton County returned an indictment Tuesday in the February death of his partner, Gabriella Perpetuo.
Prosecutors dropped a tampering with evidence allegation to pursue the more serious homicide charge, according to Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp. The first-degree conviction carries an automatic life sentence, and prosecutors will decide within weeks whether to seek the death penalty against the 31-year-old.
A medical examiner ruled Perpetuo, 29, died from multiple blunt force injuries. The autopsy documented 12 separate wounds, including multiple hematomas, bone fractures, and stab wounds.
Court evidence shows Lee consulted ChatGPT about avoiding police intervention after the incident. Prosecutors say he asked the AI chatbot whether a fall could cause bruising around both eyes and what he described as "two stabby looking wounds," according to documents presented during proceedings.
Lee remains detained in Hamilton County Jail without bond. At the time of his arrest, he was serving probation in both Franklin County, Ohio, and Alachua County, Florida, stemming from three separate assault charges involving another man, his mother, and the mother of his child.
Lee's football career reached its peak at Ohio State, where he emerged as one of the nation's top defensive talents. The New York Jets drafted him 20th overall in 2016 and signed him to a four-year deal worth $7.9 million guaranteed. Disciplinary issues and inconsistent performance led the team to release him in 2019.
He landed on the Kansas City Chiefs roster that won Super Bowl LIV in February 2020, though he did not appear in the game. Lee's final NFL appearance came in November 2020 with the Buffalo Bills.
Author James Rodriguez: "The ChatGPT angle is a chilling modern twist on an old crime story, and it's precisely the kind of detail that will define how juries look at digital breadcrumbs in the coming decade."
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