Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee allegedly used ChatGPT to seek legal advice and cover-up tips after girlfriend's death

Prosecutors say former NFL player Darron Lee asked ChatGPT for advice on covering up a crime scene after his girlfriend, Gabriella Perpetuo, was found dead.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 8:54 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from WTVC via CNN Newsource and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.

AI Messages Central to First-Degree Murder Prosecution

In a high-profile preliminary hearing on Monday, Hamilton County prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that former NFL linebacker Darron Lee attempted to use artificial intelligence to navigate the aftermath of a violent crime. Lee, who played for Ohio State and the New York Jets, is charged in the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Perpetuo. District Attorney Coty Wamp argued that Lee engaged in dozens of conversations with the ChatGPT chatbot over a two-day period, allegedly treating the software as a defense attorney and a manual for covering up evidence at the couple’s Ooltewah home.

A Timeline of Digital Queries

The prosecution’s timeline places these AI interactions on February 4 and 5, 2026—the days immediately surrounding the discovery of Perpetuo’s body. Messages displayed in court showed Lee prompting the AI with specific scenarios, such as claiming the victim's injuries were "self-inflicted" or that she had "stabbed herself." One query read: "She’s not waking up or responding, what do I do?" Prosecutors also highlighted a response from the chatbot that allegedly offered advice on how to phrase statements "without framing it as police trouble," a detail the state argues proves Lee's consciousness of guilt.

Discrepancies in Body Camera and Forensic Evidence

The digital evidence stands in stark contrast to Lee’s initial statements to first responders. Newly released body camera footage shows Lee telling Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies that he had been "asleep for a long time" and was unaware of how Perpetuo became injured. While Lee initially suggested she may have fallen in the shower, detectives testified that forensic evidence told a different story. Investigators cited signs of a violent struggle and noted that Perpetuo had suffered severe blunt force trauma and multiple injuries inconsistent with an accidental fall.