Darron Lee hearing turns on ChatGPT questions as prosecutors press murder charge
darron lee appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing on charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, as jurors heard material pulled from his phone and from police body camera footage. The hearing unfolded in Hamilton County Criminal Court, centered on the death of his girlfriend, 29-year-old Gabriella Perpetuo, whose body deputies found inside a home in Ooltewah. At issue, prosecutors highlighted what detectives testified were searches and prompts involving ChatGPT, alongside forensic and scene evidence that investigators said raised immediate concerns.
ChatGPT prompts from Darron Lee’s phone highlighted in court
In testimony presented Monday, prosecutors offered evidence indicating darron lee consulted ChatGPT for advice on how to deal with a person who is “unresponsive, ” with the message coming from his phone. Detectives also testified that Lee asked ChatGPT about injuries that would be consistent with someone falling in the shower.
During the hearing, police body camera footage was played in court showing Lee speaking with an officer and suggesting the victim may have slipped and fallen in the shower, while also saying he did not know what had happened to her. Prosecutors also displayed a ChatGPT response in court that included the line: “Here’s what to say without framing it as police trouble. ”
Investigators cite blood evidence and injuries prosecutors say conflict with an accidental fall
Detectives testified that BlueStar technology revealed the presence of blood in the Ooltewah home. Separately, the police report described blood found through the house along with broken glass.
Authorities stated that Perpetuo had “multiple stab wounds, black eyes, bite marks, and blood coming from her nose and mouth. ” Investigators have said the scene inside the home raised immediate concerns, citing evidence of a violent struggle and injuries they described as inconsistent with an accidental fall. Prosecutors previously told the court the victim suffered blunt force trauma and multiple other injuries.
Charges, potential penalty, and civil case
darron lee faces a first-degree murder charge in Perpetuo’s death, as well as a charge of tampering with evidence. Prosecutors have not ruled out seeking the death penalty.
Outside the criminal case, Perpetuo’s family has filed a $50 million wrongful-death lawsuit against Lee, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Lee is a former NFL linebacker and was a first-round pick of the Jets in 2016. He also played for the Chiefs and the Bills.
Quick context
Monday’s preliminary hearing is the latest development in a case that has drawn national attention, with detectives and prosecutors presenting testimony about digital prompts, body camera footage, and the condition of the scene. The death occurred at a home in Ooltewah on Snow Cone Way, where deputies found Perpetuo inside last month.
What’s next
The preliminary hearing continued Monday as additional testimony unfolded, with the court weighing the evidence presented by prosecutors and investigators. The next steps in the criminal proceeding will turn on what the court decides after hearing the testimony and reviewing the material shown in court, while the separate $50 million wrongful-death lawsuit remains pending.
