Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee was back in a Hamilton County courtroom Monday as prosecutors outlined what they say are disturbing messages he sent to an AI chatbot in the days before his fiancée, 29-year-old Gabriella Perpetuo, was found dead at their Ooltewah rental on Feb. 5. Investigators say transcripts pulled from Lee’s phone show him addressing the chatbot as "Allie" and asking how to get medical help without alerting police. Lee is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with or fabricating evidence and remains jailed without bond.
Chat logs prosecutors read in court
In court, prosecutors read a series of exchanges in which Lee allegedly typed, "Allie what should I tell my friend to handle someone non responsive but wants to call the police," and the AI assistant responded with step-by-step language about whether puncture-like wounds could be explained by a fall, according to reporting from Times Free Press. Prosecutors said the messages began late the night of Feb. 4, more than 12 hours before the 911 call that brought Hamilton County deputies to the Ooltewah home, and were recovered from Lee’s phone during a search of the residence. District Attorney Coty Wamp told the court Lee was effectively using the chatbot "as a legal advisor" while he tested out how to explain injuries without involving law enforcement, prosecutors said.
Autopsy and crime-scene evidence
Investigators testified that first responders who arrived at the home on Feb. 5 found blood in nearly every room, and crime-scene testing later indicated attempts had been made to clean stains around the house, as reported by The Associated Press. A preliminary autopsy listed multiple blunt-force injuries, including a large scalp hematoma, severe brain trauma and a perimortem cervical fracture that prosecutors say do not square with a simple fall. Authorities also cataloged stab wounds and a recent bite mark among Perpetuo’s injuries, and detectives told the court they found alcohol, narcotics and a gun inside the home.
Judge binds case to grand jury
After the preliminary hearing, a judge bound the case over to a Hamilton County grand jury, which will decide whether to indict Lee and move the case to criminal court, according to WDEF. Lee remains jailed without bond while prosecutors review whether to seek capital punishment and have laid out what they describe as a pattern of violent injuries. Lee’s public defender argued that the state’s case is built on circumstantial evidence and that the full story of what happened inside the Ooltewah house has yet to be established.
Chatbots as evidence: a new legal headache
Legal analysts say the case is an early glimpse of how chats with public AI tools can end up as evidence and complicate defense strategy. A federal discovery order requiring OpenAI to turn over millions of de-identified ChatGPT logs has already shown that courts can force companies to produce massive datasets in litigation, according to analysis by JDSupra. Separate coverage has documented instances where lawyers submitted AI-generated material riddled with factual errors, leading to sanctions, as reported by CBS News.
Civil suit and what’s next
In a parallel civil action, Perpetuo’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit seeking $50 million, alleging her injuries were consistent with a violent assault, according to WOSU. Prosecutors have already presented the ChatGPT transcripts and forensic findings to the grand jury while Lee remains in custody. If the panel returns an indictment, the case would move into Hamilton County criminal court, where Lee could face a capital trial if prosecutors decide to pursue the death penalty. Court records and local reporting indicate the case will stay with the grand jury until any indictment is issued and criminal court scheduling is set.
