Former linebacker on Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV team charged with girlfriend’s murder
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- Darron Lee arrested in Ooltewah, charged with first-degree murder and tampering.
- Investigators cite blood spatter, broken glass, cleaning materials and injuries.
- Victim found with stab wound and multiple bruises; Lee held without bond.
Darron Lee, a former Chiefs linebacker, has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, according to Tennessee authorities.
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrived Thursday at a residence in Ooltewah, Tennessee and found a female victim. After attempting CPR, it was determined she was deceased.
“Due to the condition of the victim and the residence, HCSO Criminal Investigative Services Detectives responded. Preliminary findings indicate the victim’s death was the result of a homicide,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
“The victim’s boyfriend, Darron Lee, was identified as the suspect and taken into custody at the scene.”
Lee, who played for the Chiefs in 2019, has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Lee was in 16 games that season, but he didn’t appear in the playoffs as the Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV.
According to WRCB-TV in Chattanooga, “Lee told (first responders) that he had found her unconscious on the couch, and thought that she had perhaps fallen in the shower, but his statements didn’t line up with the ‘concerning conditions’ within the home, the arrest report says.
“Deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office say they found blood spatter on the walls and flooring in multiple locations, as well as broken glass scattered across the kitchen area. They also observed cleaning materials in ‘abnormal places.’”
The WRCB story said a medical examiner found the victim had a stab wound to the abdomen as well as a bruise on her head and other injuries.
The New York Post reported Lee is being held without bond and has a court date set for Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 7, 2026 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Former linebacker on Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV team charged with girlfriend’s murder."
