Ex-Ohio State star, Jets first-round pick Darron Lee facing first-degree murder charge; death penalty in play

Former Ohio State Buckeyes and NFL linebacker Darron Lee is in jail in Tennessee and has not been granted bond. 

He's facing charges of first-degree murder as it relates to the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Perpétuo.

According to the Associated Press (via ESPN), the ruling was made by Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tori Smith. Lee was arrested and charged last week and also faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence.

Lee and his girlfriend, Perpétuo, had been living in a rental home in the Chattanooga suburb of Ooltewah for about 10 days when the incident occurred on Feb. 5. 

According to the Associated Press, first responders were called to the scene of a CPR in progress. They found Perpétuo already deceased when they arrived. Lee told deputies that he believed she may have fallen in the shower, but according to the affidavit, there were extensive amounts of blood in different areas of the residence.

There were also multiple traumas to her body. That included a stab wound, a human bite mark on her shoulder, a large bruise on her head and eye trauma and swelling. She also had suffered a severe brain injury and a broken neck.

"She had more stab wounds on her legs while wearing pants without cut marks, suggesting the pants were put on afterward," Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp said.

Former Ohio State star Darron Lee facing a first-degree murder charge

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Detective Brian Lockhart testified on Wednesday that he was present at the autopsy and had learned that the potential manner of death is blunt force trauma homicide.

Lee, himself, had a facial injury, lacerations on his hands, wounds on his chest and blood inside his cellphone case. Detectives also determined that there was an attempt to clean up blood in multiple areas of the house.

"Mr. Lee was in a home with a female that was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death," Wamp said in court on Wednesday. "And the explanation that he gave doesn't make any sense whatsoever." Wamp added that while prosecutors could seek the death penalty, they are undecided. 

Lee was on probation in Florida for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery. He was also on probation in Ohio for attempted battery.

Lee played at Ohio State from 2013 to 2015 before being selected No. 20 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played in 58 games in the NFL with the Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills from 2016 through 2020.

He was a second-team All-American at Ohio State and part of the Buckeyes' 2015 CFP national championship team. He was also the defensive MVP of the 2015 Sugar Bowl.