After being arrested at his late girlfriend’s Ooltewah, Tennessee, home last Thursday on murder charges, former Buffalo Bills player Darron Lee awaited his preliminary hearing yesterday. Following that, the court has a ruling on the case as prosecutors push for a death penalty.

During his first court hearing in front of Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tori Smith on Wednesday, Darron Lee was denied bond and ordered to remain in the Hamilton County prison. Prosecutors have also indicated that they intend to seek the death penalty for these actions, according to ABC News.

Lee is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on March 9.

The former NFL player with multiple teams was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the brutal death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Caravalho Perpétuo, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was arrested at the crime scene, a house the couple had rented for ten days, after his explanation of the incident contradicted the evidence found at the scene.

Here is how everything unraveled:

• Around 1:34 p.m. on February 5, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call of CPR in progress.
• The deputies were immediately dispatched to the Snow Cone Way home for assistance. However, when they reached there, the situation was quite different.
• The victim had already succumbed to the injuries, and preliminary findings indicated that the victim’s death was the result of a homicide.
• When questioned as the only person present there, Lee told the deputies that he found his girlfriend unconscious on the couch when he arrived, believing she had fallen in the shower. He believed Perpétuo suffered from narcolepsy, a condition that can cause sudden, uncontrollable sleeping, and had fallen asleep in the shower, causing her to fall.
• However, the investigators reported that the victim’s body had injuries and various horrific bruises, consistent with a violent altercation. Detective Brian Lockhart testified that she also had 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.

Addressing the incident, Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp released a statement.

“Mr. Lee was in a home with a female that was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death,” Wamp said in court, arguing for the judge to withhold bond, according to ESPN. “And the explanation that he gave doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”

According to the affidavit from the crime scene, the home’s condition was concerning. There were no signs of forced entry, but the police found broken glass in the kitchen and blood in multiple areas of the house. Moreover, Lee had marks on his body that also hinted at a physical struggle. The victim, too, had multiple injuries that did not hint at narcolepsy.

Investigators documented multiple injuries to the victim, including a suspected stab wound to the abdomen, severe bruising to her head and eyes, bruises on her arms and torso, and what appeared to be a human bite mark on her shoulder. The body was taken to the Forensic Center for autopsy.

Alcohol, narcotics, and a firearm were also found inside the residence, according to the affidavit, only adding more suspicion to Lee. No other details were released. This arrest is the latest and most severe in a series of legal troubles that have plagued Lee since his NFL career began to unravel.

Darron Lee and his legal problems

The Ohio State Buckeyes standout, Lee, was a 20th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, demonstrating his capability for a successful professional career. However, as the New York Jets picked him, his off-field issues followed him.

In 2018, he violated the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy, effectively ending his three-year career in New York. He then spent the 2019 season in Kansas City, becoming a Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs. However, he was inactive for the big game against the San Francisco 49ers. After his contract expired, the Bills assigned him to their practice squad for another season before the Raiders signed him in 2021.

His NFL career gradually ended when he moved out of Las Vegas, and his legal troubles became more glaring.

In 2023, Lee faced arrest for assault and violence. In a separate incident, he allegedly threw a phone at a woman and assaulted her.

Wamp revealed that Lee was on probation in Florida for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in one county and battery in another. He was on probation in Ohio for attempted battery.

He pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in 2025, resulting in a 90-day jail sentence, with 88 days suspended. He was placed on probation through February 2027.

Lee was represented by deputy public defender Mike Little, who confirmed in court that bond is often set for homicide or first-degree murder defendants, including those with prior felonies. Lee’s arrest comes as a shocking development for someone who once enjoyed considerable success in football.

His athletic career, which began in high school and reached the highest levels of the sport, tells a very different story. The former NFL star remains in custody without bond as the legal process moves forward.