Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee allegedly consulted an artificial intelligence chatbot for guidance after the death of his partner, prosecutors told a court during a preliminary hearing. Investigators said digital evidence shows he asked how to get medical assistance without involving law enforcement.
Lee, 31, was arrested on February 5 after authorities discovered 29-year-old Gabriella Perpetuo dead inside a residence in Ooltewah. He faces charges of first-degree murder and evidence tampering.
In court, a detective said Lee used an AI assistant to ask whether a fall could cause visible facial injuries and wounds. Messages presented as evidence also showed inquiries about handling an unresponsive person while avoiding police involvement.
Testifying officer Brian Lockhart of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect personalized the chatbot and communicated under an alias. Prosecutors noted that not all digital exchanges would be publicly disclosed at this stage of proceedings.
One message shown in court included a claim that his fiancée had harmed herself and was unresponsive. Additional conversations referenced visible injuries and blood at the scene, investigators said.
Lockhart told the court some exchanges suggested the suspect framed the situation as though he were seeking advice for another person. A response read aloud indicated the chatbot provided suggested wording described as the “safest way” to manage the situation without presenting it as a police matter.
District Attorney Coty Wamp said the messages were retrieved through forensic data extraction and argued they showed attempts to seek legal and situational guidance. She asked the court to advance the case and maintain existing bail conditions.
Wamp cited medical findings that included severe physical injuries and said the cause of death was blunt force trauma. She told the court Lee reported that his partner slipped in the shower and did not indicate that any third party entered the home.
Defense counsel Mike Little told the court the case relies largely on circumstantial evidence. He said the full sequence of events remains unclear.
General Sessions Judge Tori Smith ruled that there was sufficient probable cause to refer the charges to a grand jury. After hearing that officers were contacted about a day after the chatbot exchanges, the judge ordered that existing bond terms remain in place.
