Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee, 31, was arrested on February 5, 2026, and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his girlfriend at a Snow Cone Way residence in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
Incident Details
Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a CPR-in-progress call that afternoon, finding the unidentified woman dead despite life-saving efforts; preliminary investigation ruled it a homicide, with an affidavit noting possible stab wounds and cleaned blood evidence in the home. Lee, her boyfriend, was detained at the scene; his February 11 court date is set, with more charges possible.
Lee’s Background
A 2016 first-round draft pick by the New York Jets (No. 20 overall) out of Ohio State, Lee played there until 2018, then briefly with the Kansas City Chiefs, and had short stints with the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders through 2021. In 2023, he faced Ohio arrests for assaulting women—including pushing one down and punching her head, and throwing a phone at another causing bleeding and neck marks—pleading guilty to lesser charges like attempted assault and counterfeit substance possession in 2025.
