Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee is facing serious allegations after prosecutors revealed that he allegedly used ChatGPT in the hours surrounding the death of his girlfriend inside their Tennessee home.
Lee, who spent five seasons in the National Football League, appeared in court in Hamilton County on Monday—about a month after Gabriella Perpetuo was found dead at their residence in Ooltewah.
During the hearing, Coty Wamp, the district attorney for Hamilton County, presented new details related to the February incident. Prosecutors told the court that the day before Perpetuo’s body was discovered, Lee allegedly sent messages to the AI platform ChatGPT, asking for guidance after claiming his fiancée was unresponsive.
According to prosecutors, one message described a disturbing situation. Lee allegedly wrote that his fiancée had harmed herself and was not waking up or responding, asking the chatbot what he should do next. Prosecutors also displayed what they said was part of ChatGPT’s response, which reportedly included advice about how to explain a situation without presenting it as “police trouble.”
Investigators further claimed that Lee asked the AI system whether a slip-and-fall accident could cause puncture wounds—questions prosecutors argue suggest he was attempting to construct a narrative around the incident.
District Attorney Wamp told the court that Lee appeared to be using the AI chatbot as a form of legal guidance in an attempt to conceal what prosecutors believe was a crime scene.
Lee, a former first-round NFL draft pick who played for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Las Vegas Raiders, has been charged with first-degree murder as well as tampering with or fabricating evidence. He has not been convicted, and the case will proceed through the court process.
In the wake of Perpetuo’s death, supporters launched a fundraiser to help her family cover funeral costs and legal expenses. The campaign described her passing as a tragic and sudden loss that has brought both emotional and financial hardship.
Organizers also said they hope the effort will raise awareness about domestic violence and help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Prosecutors have indicated that if Lee is ultimately convicted of the charges against him, they will seek the death penalty.#newsafro_
