Former NFL First-Round Pick Charged With Murder, Held Without Bond After Girlfriend’s Death

As the Super Bowl is right around the corner, sports fans everywhere are paying extra close attention to everything related to football. The thing that none of those observant people could have predicted is that a former first-round NFL draft pick would be charged in his girlfriend's death in the midst of that.

Former NFL Linebacker Darron Lee Has Been Charged with Murder and Held Without Bond

Former Jets first-round pick Darron Lee charged in girlfriend’s murder https://t.co/4P5rhtOtLV pic.twitter.com/rFtjbirIjA

— New York Post (@nypost) February 7, 2026

On February 6, 2026, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office reported online that Darron Lee had been charged with two serious crimes after the death of his girlfriend. The former first-round NFL draft pick has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. According to a New York Post report on the charges, Lee, 31, is currently being held without bond, and a court date has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

Police were dispatched to a home on a CPR-in-progress call, where Lee's girlfriend was pronounced dead. The former multiple-season NFL player was quickly identified as a suspect after the police determined that their initial findings pointed to the victim dying by homicide. Lee was taken into custody at the scene. It is important to note that Lee is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Lee has been in legal trouble before his recent arrest. In 2023, ABC6 reported on an arrest report that detailed why he had been booked for assault and domestic violence in Ohio. It was alleged that he pushed a woman against a wall, struck her face and head with closed fists eight to nine times, and caused bleeding by throwing a cell phone at the woman's ear. He was also accused of grabbing her neck, punching a pillow beside her head, and lifting her by the neck before dropping her on the ground.

The Columbus Dispatch reported in 2025 that court records show Lee pleaded guilty to attempted assault from the 2023 case. He received a $500 fine, two years of probation, and a no-contact order with the woman.

Darron Lee Is a Former First-Round NFL Draft Pick - His Football Career Explained

During his college career, Darron Lee played a pivotal role in the Ohio State Buckeyes winning the 2014 national championship, as a February 2026 Sports Illustrated article details. That led to Lee being selected by the New York Jets during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft as the 20th pick overall. He would play for that team from 2016 until 2018, joined the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2019 season, and signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2020 before exiting the league.