Overview
- Lee, 31, is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the Feb. 5 death of Gabriella Carvalho Perpétuo at a rented home in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
- Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp said the case includes two aggravating factors that could qualify it for capital punishment, though no decision has been made on seeking the death penalty.
- Detective Brian Lockhart testified that blood was found in nearly every room and in a vehicle, with a shattered microwave, broken glass and a disarrayed scene documented by investigators.
- Under cross-examination, Lockhart said Lee called 911 and suggested Perpétuo fell in the shower due to narcolepsy, an explanation investigators said was inconsistent with the evidence.
- Autopsy testimony pointed to blunt force trauma as the cause of death with a broken neck, severe brain injury, bite marks and stab wounds, and detectives reported signs of attempted cleanup; Lee’s probation issues from Florida and Ohio were cited in denying bond, with a preliminary hearing set for March 9.