Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee stands accused of first-degree murder and evidence tampering, with investigators presenting messages from his phone, including queries to an AI chatbot, as key evidence. Prosecutors allege that Lee, facing charges in the death of his girlfriend, Gabriella Perpetuo, used the AI tool to inquire about handling an unresponsive person and later, potentially, how to cover up a crime scene. The unusual nature of this digital evidence has surfaced during court proceedings in Tennessee, where Lee was held without bond following a preliminary hearing.
AI Interaction Fuels Murder Investigation
Prosecutors presented evidence during a March 9 hearing that Lee used ChatGPT to ask what to do for an unresponsive person hours before calling police.
The case highlights a novel form of digital evidence in criminal proceedings. Lee, formerly with the New York Jets, allegedly posed questions to ChatGPT regarding an unresponsive individual, a scenario prosecutors interpret as an attempt to seek guidance after Perpetuo was found dead in their Ooltewah home. Specific messages cited by investigators include Lee asking, "Idk but she isn't waking up or responding, what do I do?" and seeking advice on how to "handle someone non responsive."
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Further alleged interactions involve Lee posing scenarios about his girlfriend's injuries, including "She stabbed herself, slit her eye?" and questioning whether a slip-and-fall could cause puncture wounds and swollen eyes. Investigators reportedly presented this information, gathered from a forensic download of Lee's phone, during the hearing.
The context of these digital exchanges is framed by the condition in which Perpetuo was found. Authorities reported signs of a struggle and significant injuries, including abrasions, fractures, lacerations on her face, and stab wounds to her legs. Body camera footage played in court reportedly showed Lee presenting a scenario of Perpetuo falling in the shower.
Legal Ramifications and Background
The inclusion of AI-generated exchanges as evidence marks a significant point in the ongoing investigation. District Attorney Coty Wamp argued during the hearing that Lee was allegedly using ChatGPT as a "legal advisor, as a defense attorney, asking ChatGPT to give him advice on how to cover up a crime scene." The AI's responses, reportedly offering to "sanity-check whether it lines up with a slip-and-fall" or advising that swollen eyes could indicate a need for immediate help, have become central to the prosecution's narrative.
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Lee was already on probation for a prior domestic violence charge. His court appearance on March 9 saw the judge rule that he would remain in custody without bail, and the murder case was subsequently bound over to a grand jury. The investigation into Perpetuo's death, which occurred in February, remains active.