NYC MAN SENTENCED FOR BRUTAL KILLING of Christina Yuna Lee: STABBED 40 TIMES in Her Apartment
On Tuesday, July 30, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr. announced that the man who savagely stabbed Christina Yuna Lee to death in her New York City apartment in February 2022 had been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
In June, Assamad Nash, 27, pled guilty to murder and burglary charges in Christina’s fatal stabbing. He acknowledged stalking the 35-year-old woman before following her into her Chinatown apartment, where he allegedly stabbed her at least 40 times. According to ABC 7, the court stated following the sentencing that the defendant is a risk to society and suffers from major mental health concerns.
“Christina Yuna Lee was killed in an unthinkably horrific manner in her apartment at the hands of Assamad Nash,” Bragg said in a statement.
“Ms. Yuna Lee was a creative, kind, and joyful person and her death not only devastated her family but left a lasting impact on an entire community,” Bragg explained. “I hope the outcome of this case brings solace and justice to everyone who has been affected by Ms. Yuna Lee’s life and this tragedy.
May her memory be honored for years to come.” Lee was killed early on February 13, 2022, after Nash followed her to her six-story walk-up apartment. When she entered the apartment at 4:20 a.m., Nash pulled her inside before attempting to sexually abuse her.
Christina called for aid inside her apartment at 4:22 a.m., prompting her neighbors to phone 911. Authorities came minutes afterward, but couldn’t smash down the door until 5:40 a.m.
Authorities discovered her stabbed to death, with Nash hiding beneath a mattress. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
During the sentencing, the victim’s father, Sungkon Lee, said tearfully, “Why did God do such terrible things to our family,” according to ABC7.
Her mother was not present for the sentencing. Christina’s aunt, Boksun Lee, told ABC7 that the victim’s mother is still struggling and haggard from the loss of her daughter.
Following her punishment, Sungkon pushed lawmakers to name a new homeless shelter in her honor, according to the New York Post. “We want Christina’s memory to be remembered and to prevent others having a similar fate,” Sungkon told the press.
“Having her name on the shelter will reinforce to people what happened and that it was committed by someone homeless,” the family’s attorney, Charles Yoon, told the Post. “We want to honor her and memorialize her so that it doesn’t happen again.”
According to the Post, Sungkon also criticized the NYPD, accusing it of failing to save his daughter. “The police did not gain entrance into the scene of the crime until 1 hour and 20 minutes had passed since arriving at the scene,” according to him.
“The primary cause of Christina’s death occurred at the scene of the incident. We believe that the police officers who arrived did not respond adequately. “The first mission of NYC and its police is to ensure the safety of its citizens,” Sungkon stated.
Sungkon has filed a pending lawsuit against the department. He stated on Tuesday that, while the Lee family is “pursuing a lawsuit against New York City,” the family’s “real desire is not compensation; rather, we want Christina’s memory to be remembered and to prevent others from suffering a similar fate” as per PEOPLE.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or visit rainn.org.