Former New York Jets linebacker Darron Lee has been arrested and charged in the murder of his girlfriend, who was found brutalized at a home in Tennessee on Thursday before succumbing to her injuries.
The ex-NFL star, 31, is facing charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office announced late Friday.
Authorities said they would not publicly identify the victim until notifying her next of kin.
According to police, deputies responded Thursday afternoon to a “report of CPR in progress” at a residence in Ooltewah, about 20 miles outside of Chattanooga. First responders “located a female victim and attempted life-saving measures,” but were unable to revive her, cops said.
“Due to the condition of the victim and the residence,” detectives from the HCSO’s Criminal Investigative Services were then called to scene.
Lee, who at the residence at the time, was taken into custody after preliminary findings indicated the woman’s death “was the result of a homicide,” police said.
While authorities have released few details on the fatal incident, an affidavit obtained by Chattanooga station WTVC reveals the victim was found with an apparent stab wound to her stomach, severe bruising on her body and what appeared to be a bite mark on her shoulder.
According to the documents, Lee told detectives that he found his girlfriend unconscious on the couch and believed she was may have fallen in the shower.
However, investigators quickly noted that Lee had injuries to his hands, face, and chest that were consistent with a physical struggle. They also found broken glass in the kitchen, blood throughout the home and cleaning supplies in unusual places. There were no signs of forced entry, police said.
Lee was booked into the Hamilton County Jail where he remains held without bail, according to online records. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
In addition to the counts of murder and evidence tampering, Lee could face further charges pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation, cops said.
The former Ohio State linebacker is reportedly still on probation stemming from a 2023 arrest for allegedly punching a female relative in the head multiple times.
He was initially charged with domestic violence and assault but accepted a plea deal last February on misdemeanor charges of possessing a counterfeit controlled substance and attempted assault, for which he served just one day in jail.
Throughout the course that investigation, authorities also became aware of a separate domestic violence incident involving a different woman in October 2022, according to the Columbus Dispatch. The details of those allegations aren’t clear.
Lee, the first-round pick for the Jets in 2016, played three seasons with the team, though he was suspended for the last four games of the 2018 season after violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse.
He was released in 2019 and picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs for a season before a month-long suspension in 2020. He then signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for just two games. When his contract with the Bills expired in 2021, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, but was released that same August. He’s seen no action on the football field since.
