Ex-NFL Player Darron Lee Accused of Murdering Girlfriend, Used ChatGPT to Seek Advice on Cover-Up

Prosecutors say Lee's ChatGPT messages reveal a 'digital roadmap' of his attempted cover-up after the 'especially heinous' crime.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 3:20pm

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Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo. Prosecutors revealed that Lee used ChatGPT to seek advice on how to cover up the murder, including questions about getting medical help without calling the police and whether certain injuries could be explained as a fall. Forensic evidence and the autopsy report indicated severe, prolonged violence with multiple injuries and blood traces throughout the home. Lee remains jailed without bond as the case heads to a grand jury.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing role of AI assistants like ChatGPT in criminal investigations, as well as the disturbing trend of domestic violence and intimate partner homicides. It raises questions about how technology can be misused to attempt to cover up violent crimes and the challenges law enforcement faces in investigating such cases.

The details

Prosecutors say Lee used ChatGPT under the name 'Xander Lee' and referred to the AI assistant as 'Allie', creating a fictional woman to ask questions about how to handle the situation. The messages included queries about getting medical help without calling the police and whether certain injuries could be explained as a fall. Forensic evidence and the autopsy report, however, indicated severe, prolonged violence, including a fractured cheekbone, knocked-out teeth, a broken neck, multiple stab wounds, and a bite mark. The judge cited the 'especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel' nature of the crime in binding the case over to a grand jury.

  • On February 5, Lee was arrested after deputies found Perpétuo dead at their shared home in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
  • On March 6, a Monday preliminary hearing revealed the contents of Lee's ChatGPT messages.
  • The judge cited the 'especially heinous' nature of the crime and ordered Lee to remain jailed without bond as the case heads to a grand jury.

The players

Darron Lee

A 31-year-old former NFL linebacker who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo.

Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo

Lee's 29-year-old girlfriend who was found dead at their shared home in Ooltewah, Tennessee.

District Attorney Coty Wamp

The prosecutor who argued that Lee's ChatGPT messages amounted to a 'digital roadmap' of his attempted cover-up.

Judge Tori Smith

The judge who bound the case over to a grand jury, citing the 'especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel' nature of the crime.

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What they’re saying

“If that's not enough, you have Mr. Lee using ChatGPT as a legal adviser, as a defense attorney, asking ChatGPT the exact questions someone would ask ChatGPT who has just murdered his fiancée with blunt force trauma and stab wounds.”

— District Attorney Coty Wamp (mensjournal.com)

“I'm even more convinced now that the offense was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel and that it involved torture or physical abuse beyond that necessary to produce death.”

— Judge Tori Smith (mensjournal.com)

What’s next

The case will now be presented to a Hamilton County grand jury, which will decide whether to indict Lee on the murder and tampering charges. If indicted, the case will proceed to trial, where prosecutors have not ruled out seeking the death penalty.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing role of technology, including AI assistants like ChatGPT, in criminal investigations and the disturbing trend of domestic violence. It raises concerns about how such tools can be misused to attempt to cover up violent crimes and the challenges law enforcement faces in investigating these complex cases.