The ex-NFL player accused of murder and evidence tampering charges in Ooltewah after allegedly killing his girlfriend was on probation and had previously been charged with assaults in Ohio and Florida, court records showed.
Darron Lee, 31, was arrested Thursday after deputies found Gabriella Perpetuo, 29, dead and located blood splatter on the walls and flooring in multiple areas. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said by email that investigators found her at a residence in the 7500 block of Snow Cone Way.
Perpetuo had what police said appeared to be 1-inch-long stab wounds in her abdomen, black eyes, multiple bruises on her body, dried blood on her face and a large human bite mark on her shoulder. Lee allegedly told police she might have slipped in the shower, according to an arrest report. Investigators were told Lee found her unconscious on the couch.
At the time of Lee’s arrest, he was on probation in Franklin County, Ohio, and Alachua County, Florida, after he was charged in three separate incidents involving another man, Lee’s mother and the mother of his child. On May 16, 2025, Perpetuo paid Lee’s remaining court costs tied to his Ohio conviction on attempted assault. One month later, a Florida court ordered Lee to counseling, anger management and a mental health evaluation, according to court records.