Daron Lee Charged with Murder

Daron Lee, the former first-round pick of the Jets, has been arrested in Tennessee on charges of murdering his girlfriend, as announced by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on Friday night.

Lee was chosen by the Jets as the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and is facing charges of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

He is currently being held without bail, with a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday, according to jail records obtained by The Post.

The sheriff’s office reported that his girlfriend’s body was discovered Thursday at a residence near Ooltewah Elementary School in Hamilton County.

Police responded to the scene—approximately 2.5 hours from Nashville—following calls indicating that CPR was in progress.

According to the sheriff’s office, attempts to save the girlfriend’s life were made, but unfortunately, she did not survive her injuries. Lee, who is 28 years old, was identified as the primary suspect and taken into custody at the location.

Initial findings suggest that her death was a homicide, the sheriff’s office stated.

This isn’t Lee’s first encounter with law enforcement; he was arrested in Ohio in 2023 for assault and domestic violence.

Details from the earlier arrest reveal that Lee allegedly “pushed the woman against a wall, threw her to the floor, and punched her in the face and head eight to nine times with his closed fist,” according to police reports. Furthermore, he reportedly “grabbed her around the neck and lifted her up, dropping her to the ground.”

In that case, he was deemed guilty, and a no-contact order was issued by the state, as outlined in court documents reviewed by The Post.

During his college career, Lee was a standout at Ohio State, earning the title of Defensive MVP in the Buckeyes’ 2015 Sugar Bowl victory against Alabama.

Yet, his professional journey in the NFL has been less stellar. He played five seasons with the Jets, Chiefs, and Bills, accumulating 241 tackles and three interceptions across 40 games during his three years with the Jets.