Former Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee charged with first-degree murder.
Former Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee was arrested on Friday on first-degree murder charges.
According to the Hamilton County Sherriff's Office in Tennessee, Lee was arrested on Thursday after his girlfriend was found dead. First responders on the scene attempted life saving measures but ultimately, the woman was pronounced dead on the scene.
The Hamilton County Criminal Investigations Services was called to the scene due to the condition of the victim and it was determined that her death was the result of a homicide. Lee was immediately named a primary suspect in the case.
He was arrested soon thereafter.
The official charges for Lee are a first degree murder and tampering evidence. As of now, the victim's identity has not been released.
Football is the furthest from relevance in a situation like this, but Lee was a standout performer in his time in Columbus. He was a member of the Buckeyes from 2013 through 2015 when he was an Ohio State linebacker.
He was the starting linebacker on the Buckeyes 2014 National Championship team and in that Title game against the Oregon Ducks, he had eight tackles and one pass breakup. He was the team's second leading tackler on the night.
He played for two seasons in Columbus before leaving for the NFL. In those two years, he combined for 147 total tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, five pass breakups, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries that both ended in a touchdown.
After declaring draft in 2015, he was selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft's first round to the New York Jets. He spent three seasons in New York before playing one season in Kansas City and then wrapping his career up with a one year stint for the Buffalo Bills in 2020.
Over his NFL career, Lee appeared in 58 games registering 273 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 11 pass breakups, three interceptions and one interception for a touchdown.
This incident is unfortunately not Lee's first run in with the law. He was arrested and charged with two counts of both domestic violence and assault in a 2023 case that occurred in Dublin, Ohio.
Lee then caught a cocaine possession charge later in 2023.
Lee is just 32 years old and will now await his fate as the investigation surrounding this murder is now underway.
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