On the afternoon of February 5th, 2026, deputies responding to a medical emergency in a quiet Tennessee neighborhood walked into a scene that would quickly turn into a homicide investigation. Inside that house was a man named Darron Lee, a former NFL linebacker. There are stories in sports that follow a familiar arc. There's the rise, a struggle, followed by a fade into obscurity. And for a while, Lee's story looked like it might be one of those. A gifted athlete whose professional career never quite matched the promise of his college days. But today, that story has taken a far darker turn because Darron Lee isn't just some former football player whose career didn't pan out. He's a man sitting behind bars charged with first-degree murder. So, how does someone go from playing on Sundays in the NFL to facing accusations of such a brutal crime just 10 years later? To understand that, we have to go back to the beginning. Let's dive in. >> I went to I was at the Elite 100, is that what it was called? Elite 100. It was in Indiana. And uh I won the fastest fastest man. I won the fastest man award. And I'll never forget that I won that. I had a great day, but it was uh I was the fastest guy there. Um it's just kind of ironic cuz I'm a pretty fast guy now. Um I I got countless memories, but I I remember that one. >> Darron Lee grew up in New Albany, Ohio. From an early age, it was clear he had something special. He became a standout football player at New Albany High School, and he received offers from Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota. He chose to stay home and play for Ohio State. There, he developed into one of the most explosive linebackers in the country. His college career peaked in the 2015 Sugar Bowl, a college football playoff semifinal against Alabama. With seven tackles and two sacks, Lee was named the defensive MVP of that game. It was a signature performance that announced to the entire football world that he had arrived. 11 days later, the Buckeyes would go on to win the national championship against Oregon. With a national championship ring now on his finger, Lee made the decision to leave Ohio State early and declare for the 2016 NFL Draft. The next stage would be the NFL Combine, a week-long evaluation where players undergo physical tests, medical exams, and team interviews. Lee impressed scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds, remarkable speed for a linebacker and faster than many NFL wide receivers. The New York Jets selected him 20th overall in the first round, signing him to a 4-year deal worth about $10.28 million guaranteed. >> When it came to this moment, did you have that realization you're sitting in the green room waiting for your name to be called that like, man, I've come a long way? >> Absolutely. You know, you see a couple of guys get picked, and you're just seeing Joey and Zeke, those guys get picked. That's when it really hit me. I'm like, you know, your dreams are really about to come true, and your hard work's about to come true. And um you know, I I can't even really put it into words sometimes, but you know, just when I got that call is it was amazing. >> But his first year was far from impressive. In fact, the analytics company Pro Football Focus ranked him as the lowest-graded rookie linebacker in the league. The following year, the same company graded him 87th out of 88 linebackers who qualified for a rating. In 2018, he was suspended for four games for a PED violation. All in all, he played in 43 out of 64 games for the Jets, recording four sacks, three interceptions, and 241 tackles. Lee later played for several teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs. Although he was part of the organization during their 2019 championship season, he didn't appear in the playoffs, but still received a Super Bowl ring. His career ended in 2021 after short stints in Buffalo and Las Vegas. Despite early expectations, he never made a Pro Bowl, won major awards, or finished near the top of the league in any statistical category. But after his football career ended, Lee's name began appearing in the headlines again. Not for football, but for something far more troubling. By 2026, Lee was no longer in the NFL and had been staying at a rental home in Ooltewah, Tennessee, just outside Chattanooga. Around that time, he was in a relationship with a woman named Gabriella Carvalho Perpetuo. Exactly how the two met hasn't been publicly detailed, but by early February, they had been together at the Ooltewah home for 10 days. Gabriella, known to family and friends as Bella, was a 29-year-old woman full of warmth and ambition. Her parents described her as a natural people person who never met a stranger. Bella was raised in Massachusetts, and at 15, her family relocated to Florida, where she would eventually lay down roots. Later, as a young woman, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in clinical journalism, drawn by the idea of storytelling within the medical world. But over time, her calling shifted. She realized that what she truly wanted was to be in the room with patients, not writing about them from the outside. So, she enrolled in a college nursing program with a clear goal, to care for newborns during the most fragile hours of their lives. She was compassionate, driven, and just 3 months away from graduating. But in February of 2026, that future was suddenly cut short. At around 1:30 p.m. on February 5th, a 911 call came in from Duran Lee's home on Snow Cone Way in Ooltewah. Lee told the dispatcher that his girlfriend was not breathing and that CPR was underway. The call was routed to deputies as a medical emergency, but when officers arrived at the home, the scene told a completely different story. Deputies found Bella lying unresponsive on the living room floor, already being treated at the scene by EMS. She had visible injuries that immediately raised concerns. Lee's explanation was straightforward. He said he had woken up from sleep to find her unconscious on the couch. As officers moved through the home, what they observed added to their suspicions. There were no signs of forced entry. Broken glass lay scattered in the kitchen. Blood was found in multiple areas of the house, on the walls, floors, and even the staircase. And cleaning supplies had been left in places that made no practical sense, locations that suggested to authorities that someone had recently been trying to clean something up. >> You think I did anything anything anything wrong there? >> Is she >> Yeah. >> I don't know if she was saying something or if she was doing whatever. I have no idea. >> I was just upstairs. >> You feeling >> Um >> You feeling >> No. What does she mean? Where is her Where is her medicine? >> No, we don't have any. >> You don't have any medicines? I need to stop. She's right here. I don't know. Yes, sir. I can sit down. I'll just sit here, okay? >> I do mind. I don't have my wallet. I don't have my phone. >> Uh where's your phone and wallet? >> When deputies considered the amount of blood and where it had been found, it didn't match Lee's version of events. It wasn't the picture of a man who had simply woken up to find his girlfriend unresponsive. And then there was Lee himself. Officers described him as frantic, nervous, and unable to provide clear answers about what had happened inside the house. At that point, deputies wanted some clarification from Doron Lee. >> What do you want to do? Uh we'll go outside and talk to my mother. Yes, sir. >> You tell me what So, what's going on? >> Uh >> You said you were up there sleeping. >> Yeah, I was asleep. >> Okay. What uh What was she doing last time you saw her? Do you know around what time you saw her last? >> I I don't I don't know if she was sleeping or not. >> Um >> I can't I don't know if she But I guess we could take a shower. And then that's it. I was knocked out. >> Around what time was that? >> That's when she went to the bathroom. >> You were up after that? >> No, I went to sleep. >> Okay. What's all the broken stuff in there? >> I don't know. That's The glass is shattered cuz she We left the window open and so when it got warm in the room we needed the house it just like exploded. So I was just cleaning that up. So that was before I went to sleep. >> Okay. >> I thought she was going to come down and like finish it up from downstairs. But that come back down and then this is this is what happened. Is she okay? >> She's okay. >> All right. >> And then what happened to her in the bathroom? >> I don't know. I don't know what happened to her like while I was sleeping or not. >> You said that Okay, so Explain to me the like window was open so the house froze? >> Yeah, it's cold. I didn't know the heat but I had it open and so I just shut it. But I got to do was like >> So then when you closed the window you turned the heat on? >> It just like you have like streaks in it sometimes. That's all I know. That's all I know. Is she okay? >> Uh they're they're still working on her. >> Okay. >> What is uh What's your last name? >> Uh Pertuo. >> How do you spell that? >> P E R P E T U O. >> All right. First name? >> Gabriel. G A B R I E L L I. >> What is your date of birth? >> Uh yes, 8 19 1986. >> And your last name is all? >> I would go with this I already what I do know from um What it was like last week or second uh second secretary here. She She had She had slipped her panties in a bag, man. So, she I know she's like that. I caught myself. Like before I was with my other girlfriend. But, I don't know what happened to her cuz she takes long showers, like really long showers. And I have absolutely no idea. I put this up. I put this up. >> I can't find your What do you got to say about the charger? >> Yeah. >> You said the charger is right there. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> She has slipped >> Oh my god. Babe. I assume you guys have seen me in something in the closet. Oh my god. Babe. >> What is he looking for? >> Looking for my big wife. >> And the charger brick is in his vehicle. >> Jesus Christ. Do you have your kids in school? >> Do you have kids? >> Yeah. >> Yes, sir. You don't have kids at all. Guys like you have kids that are about to get off the bus or something. >> Oh my god. >> I'm sitting here. >> Yeah. No. >> Oh Oh my god, Val. Oh my god. Smells easy. >> Yes. >> Easy. Oh my god. All right, come on. >> Yeah, so we'll get you we'll get you a break out of here. >> Appreciate it. >> Your fiance? >> I see. >> Yeah, okay. Um, what time is it? >> That's pretty much about it. So, what time is breakfast? >> She's pregnant? >> I don't know. She said she's trying to get pregnant. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Does she take medications? >> No small medications I know of. She takes. >> Okay. And when was the last time that you saw Is she Gabriella? >> Yes. >> When was the last time that you saw her? >> Before you found her like this. Hey. Right before my partner. Hey. Take your medicine and go to bed. Small little [ __ ] She really gets to you. She really gets to you. She gets to How long has she been >> And is that narrow? >> Probably sterile. >> How do you tell that? >> I wouldn't know. >> I wouldn't know because I don't see the little ball. >> So, she has a little little ball that she has up there. >> That's I I don't know. I don't even know she has it. She keeps it in her back. She keeps it in her back pocket. >> All right. >> She's in her back pocket. >> She's in the stall. Don't have it. >> It's here. >> I'm a liar. >> I know it. >> I'm sorry. I'm a liar. >> I will keep you out here. I'll be out here for a second. >> Oh my god. >> Tell us what >> I don't know what to say. >> And it's what what's I got to I got to hear about it. So, tell me what what's what's with her? >> So, I came downstairs and I woke her up. >> Okay. >> And she was already laying on the couch. >> Okay, but I don't think she was asleep. >> She was already on the couch when I got down. But beforehand, I don't know if she was going up or down. I don't know. That's what I'm saying. And so, I came down and then I searched like she was laying on the couch on her left hand side. >> Mhm. >> And then I'm like, "Hey baby, what do you want to eat?" Pretty much like, "What do you need?" And she's What I'm saying is that's why I called called 911 immediately to let them know what's going on. What's going on? And then like I don't know. And then I'm like, "What the hell what the hell is happening?" Like I was out cold asleep for a long time. I'm just trying to figure out what I don't know what happened. >> Is she bleeding? What's up? Is she bleeding? >> Was she? >> Yeah. >> Like I don't I don't I don't know. >> I didn't I didn't see her just now. >> Oh, really? >> I didn't go up there. I don't know. >> So, what is there Is there Someone was bleeding cuz there's there's blood going down the stairs. >> Yeah, that's there's probably her. If you look back in the shower, I'm going to like there's a blood spot right there. I don't know if she fell asleep like fell and then tried to get down. I didn't hear I couldn't hear her much. >> Do you all sleep in separate rooms? >> Yeah, because I don't fit in the bed. She put another bed in the bedroom. I don't know if she like when she got in there she fell like I have no idea >> Right. You what? >> I'm in. >> What did you say? They're still working on her. Oh. Hello. Hello. What are the chances Is it a substantial amount of students? I didn't see. I don't know. He just got down there to comment about how much she died. And she was she died in there. I think she died in the shower. That's what they said. Was she bleeding? I didn't see any blood. I don't know. So, we got to get the blood cleared. Um Is there any way all of this can be zero tolerance No leaning. Yeah. Is anyone in the car or something? Um So, how do you want to handle this on your apps? >> Okay. >> Cuz yeah. >> That was asleep at one time. >> Okay, so when's the last time you actually talked to her? When she talked back to you? >> I talked back to you yesterday evening about 5:30. >> You think you're in the whole time though? >> Right. >> How long have you been gone yet? >> I know Brandon gets in the morning and does errands. >> When did you come back? >> I got back when I was on the property. I got back. >> You think she was asleep and she was awake though? >> Lee was detained while authorities processed the scene. Forensic techs applied a chemical called Bluestar, similar to Luminol. This testing showed that blood had been cleaned from several areas of the home suggesting someone had attempted to conceal evidence. Additional traces of blood appeared throughout the house and even inside a vehicle in the garage indicating the violence may have moved through multiple rooms. In one room, the Bluestar reaction revealed something particularly disturbing. A set of human handprints embedded in the carpet. Investigators would later note that the prints appeared to show someone pressing their hands into the floor as if struggling to push themselves up or crawl away. At the time of this video, authorities have not publicly confirmed who those handprints belong to. According to the police affidavit, Lee himself bore signs of a physical struggle. Investigators documented injuries to his face, his hands, and his chest. Blood was also found inside his cell phone case. His phone and his clothing were seized as evidence. What investigators documented on Bella's body was deeply disturbing. There was a wound consistent with a stab injury to her abdomen. She had severe bruising to her head and around her eyes, as well as a broken neck. Bruises covered her arms and torso, and perhaps most chillingly, what appeared to be a human bite mark was found on her shoulder. Her body was transported to the Hamilton County Forensic Center, where an autopsy was performed. The conclusion was that Bella died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. She was 29 years old. She was 3 months from graduating. She had her whole life in front of her. With the forensic evidence piling up, investigators had seen enough. Lee was taken into custody at the scene and arrested later that day. He was charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Bond was denied. But the story did not begin in that house in Tennessee. In fact, allegations of violence surrounding Duran Lee stretched back years. As investigators examined Lee's past, they learned he was on active probation in two states, Florida and Ohio. In 2017, during his second season with the New York Jets, a woman filed a lawsuit in New Jersey alleging that Lee had assaulted her at a house party earlier that year. He denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was later dismissed. In April 2023, Lee was charged with domestic violence and assault stemming from two incidents, One in October 2022, the other in April 2023. The 2023 incident involved Lee's own mother. According to police in Dublin, Ohio, a witness ran upstairs after hearing screams and found Lee on top of her with his fist raised. The witness pulled him away. Lee's mother later told officers he had pushed her into a wall, knocked her to the ground, and punched her repeatedly in the face. Lee ultimately pleaded guilty in 2025 to a reduced charge of attempted assault. He received a 90-day jail sentence with 88 days suspended, meaning he served roughly two days behind bars. He was placed on probation through February 2027. The 2022 incident involved another woman who told police Lee had thrown a phone that struck her in the head hard enough to make her ear bleed. The report also described Lee grabbing her by the neck while punching a pillow beside her head, leaving visible red marks on her throat. A pattern was clearly taking shape, and investigators would later reference this history during Lee's preliminary hearing. >> Okay. Let's go ahead and bring out Mr. Lee. All right. How's my signal? Are we good? >> I don't know. Good. >> All right. We're here on docket number 2006151, first-degree murder. Docket number 2006152, tampering with or fabricating evidence for preliminary hearing, Mr. Darin Alexander Lee. >> In early March, Lee was in court for his preliminary hearing, during which investigators revealed a highly unsettling detail. After downloading the data from Lee's phone, detectives learned that Lee had been asking ChatGPT for advice about specific injuries and police involvement the day before the 911 call was made. >> Did ChatGPT throughout this conversation appear to give Mr. Lee advice? >> It did, yes. >> Okay. So, what does that say? >> This is from Zander Lee to ChatGPT. Hey Ally, what are physical signs of injuries of slip and fall in bathroom shower? >> Is that on February 4th? >> February the 4th, 2026 at 11:49 a.m. >> And do you know what what And this this green one is he was responding to something that ChatGPT had responded with? >> Yes. >> Do you recall what that is? >> Uh slip and fall can cause puncture wounds, at least what it says. He respond by stabbing a light object or hitting anything. >> And ChatGPT is responding to his questions? >> Yes. It says, "Yeah, it can happen, but these are important distinctions to make. Can a slip and fall cause injuries, stab wounds?" Uh yes, it's usually under specific conditions. What would it look like? Small deep puncture, little bleeding wounds, round or oval. Minimal bleeding at first and swelling later. Looks stabby even though it wasn't a knife. >> And to your knowledge, based on reviewing the the messages in in totality, not just snippets here, is this similar to the conversation that Mr. Lee is having with Chat GPT over the 4th and the 5th? >> Yes. >> On February 5th, do you recall seeing messages where Mr. Lee is asking Chat GPT about calling 911? >> Yes. >> You recall some of these messages? >> Uh He kept saying he wants to call 911, but he wants to make sure that it's a EMS issue, but not a police matter. >> Um here where we've got the bottom of the Chat GPT messages, um do you see where it says, "If you want, tell me this?" >> Yes. >> Did this Does that often occur in these Chat GPT messages where Chat GPT asks more questions or or asks basically to follow up? >> Yes. >> Okay. And so, um you can see Chat Correct me if I'm wrong. Chat GPT says, um "Yes, false wounds cause puncture hearing wounds. They usually don't look like clean, nice stabs. Um context surrounding injury pattern matters more than the hole itself." And then it says, "If you want, tell me where on the body, how many punctures, depth and size, what objects were nearby. I can help you sanity check whether it lines up whether it lines up with a slip and fall or it's something that should be evaluated itself." Again, uh is this similar to other messages between Mr. Lee and Chat GPT? >> Yes. >> And what does Mr. Lee say? >> His response is, "Yes, they will get inside her." >> Do you recall if Ms. Perpetua had injuries around her gut or side hip? >> Yes. >> What were those? >> There was a stab wound and then her hip that was Her leg was a bite mark. The stab wound on her thigh as well. >> Chat GPT um again says, if you want you can tell me. So, again is Chat GBT asking for more information from him? >> Yes. >> Okay, and you see that Xander Lee owner says, yep, bruise below the two stabby looking ones. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lee, and this this message says, both her eyes are swollen, question mark. What date is this? >> That is February the 4th, 2026 at 11:34:39 a.m. >> The next message from Chat GBT says, okay, pause the jokes for half a second, but when both eyes being swollen is still possible from a fall, but it crosses into get checked territory, not mad, I said. Do you recall what message from Mr. Lee that you may or may not um resulted in Chat GBT telling him to pause the jokes? >> Um I can't say for sure it was one the joking one that came from >> Are you familiar with what LOL means? >> Yes. >> Are you familiar with what what LMAO means? >> Yes. >> What is LMAO? >> Laughing my ass off. >> What is LOL? >> Laughing out loud. >> In any of Mr. Lee's messages during this time period about injuries to a person, does Mr. Lee use LMAO or LOL? >> Yes. >> I believe this is the last one. What's the date on this one? >> This is 2/4/2026 at 12:03:33 a.m. >> He says, Xander Lee owner says, bet. She got blood all over the damn place. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> After the hearing, the judge found probable cause and bound the case over to a grand jury. If indicted, Lee would face a full criminal trial in Hamilton County, where a jury would ultimately decide his guilt or innocence. For now, Lee remains in custody without bond as the legal process continues. If convicted of first-degree murder in Tennessee, Lee could face three possible sentences. The death penalty, life in prison without parole, or life with the possibility of parole. Though even that would require serving at least 51 years behind bars. While the criminal case moves forward, Bella's family has also taken legal action of their own. They filed a civil lawsuit against Lee, holding him responsible for Gabriella's death and seeking financial damages. The civil case works a little differently than the criminal one, doesn't require prosecutors to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a much harder bar to clear. Instead, it operates under a lower standard of proof, meaning it could move forward on its own timeline, independent of whatever happens in the criminal courtroom. There's a version of the story that begins and ends with football, with a promising career that never reached its ceiling, with a player who reached the NFL but never became a household name. That version of the story is disappointing, but it's not uncommon. Plenty of first-round picks don't become the stars their draft position suggested they would be. But that's not the story we're telling in this video. In this video, we're telling the story of Bella, a young woman who moved across the country chasing a dream of caring for newborns, who was just months away from holding that degree in her hands. A woman who, by every account, made the people around her feel seen and welcomed. And we are telling the story of how her life was cut short in a rental home she'd only lived in for a few weeks. As the legal proceedings against Darion Lee continue to unfold, the full picture of what happened in that February afternoon in Ooltewah, Tennessee is still being pieced together in a courtroom. What we do know is this. A promising life was taken far too soon, and a man once cheered in packed stadiums on Sundays now sits behind bars daily charged with ending it.