Former NFL first-round pick Darron Lee was arrested and charged with first-degree murder last week after his girlfriend's death.
First responders in Hamilton County, Tennessee, reportedly found the unnamed victim on Tuesday afternoon and determined she was dead after attempting life-saving measures. Preliminary findings led to detectives ruling the death a result of homicide, with Lee taken into custody at the scene.
In addition to murder, Lee, 31, faces a charge of tampering with evidence. Additional charges could be added pending the outcome of the investigation.
A judge on Wednesday then opted to keep Lee in jail without bond. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on March 9.
Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp said the case is eligible for capital punishment, though it's still unclear if they will seek the death penalty. Wamp also said that Lee was on probation in both Florida and Ohio for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery and attempted batteries.
"Mr. Lee was in a home with a female that was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death," Wamp said in court, arguing for the judge to withhold bond, via The Associated Press. "And the explanation that he gave doesn't make any sense whatsoever."
Lee was a second-team All-American linebacker and won the 2015 College Football Playoff with Ohio State, earning defensive MVP honors in the Sugar Bowl semifinal win over No. 1 Alabama. He was selected 20th overall by the New York Jets in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Over the course of three seasons, Lee started 36 games for the Jets and appeared in 40 total, accruing 241 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, four sacks and three interceptions. However, he was suspended four games in 2018 due to a substance abuse violation and struggled enough that the Jets declined his fifth-year option.
The Jets eventually traded Lee to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. He appeared in 16 games but started only two, and was inactive for Kansas City's Super Bowl LIV victory. He was suspended for four games again the following offseason and he never found significant playing time after that.
Lee's last appearance in an NFL game was with the Buffalo Bills in the 2020 season. He joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, but was released in training camp.