Miami jury awards Lakeeta Vaccaro $500,000 after finding Tyreek Hill liable on two battery counts

A Miami jury on Tuesday found NFL wide receiver Tyreek Hill liable on two counts of battery in a civil trial brought by his estranged wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro, and cleared him of eight other claims; the jury awarded Vaccaro $500,000 in compensatory damages and did not award punitive damages.

Hill, 32, who has played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, faced the civil case over allegations tied to incidents in January 2024 and April 2025 that formed the two battery counts the jury found him liable on. The proceeding involved multiple claims brought by Vaccaro, 30, against the NFL receiver. The trial concluded this week with the jury delivering its verdict.

The jury found Hill not liable on eight other counts that included battery, assault and continuing domestic violence. Those not-guilty findings covered the remaining claims Vaccaro had advanced in the lawsuit. The compensatory award of $500,000 related specifically to the two counts on which the jury found liability.

On the stand, Vaccaro described instances in which Hill allegedly pulled her hair and said he "treated me like I was, just, a man." The jury was shown a photo Vaccaro took of markings on her chest that she says were made during an argument between the pair. Vaccaro presented those accounts as the factual basis for the claims that went to trial.

Hill testified last week and mostly denied what he called "false allegations" made by his estranged wife. He acknowledged one episode in which he said he shoved Vaccaro and "created a hole in the wall." After the verdict he embraced one of his attorneys, shook hands with others and left the courtroom by himself.

Vaccaro's lawyer, Paul Schwiep, had asked the jury to "restore her dignity" and had sought $8m in damages from Hill. "Money doesn’t undo the harm, but it’s just how our civil justice system works," Schwiep said. Christi Bright said Hill was thankful after the trial: "Mr Hill was very pleased that he was able to get his story out and to be able to tell the world what he’s not been able to speak about," Bright told reporters. "He’s very grateful."

Hill is still working his way back from a dislocated knee and torn ligaments suffered in September 2025 while he was with the Dolphins. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has indicated that his client wishes to return to the NFL.