Homeless man sentenced to life for brutal murder of Korean-American woman in NYC apartment

A homeless man who followed a woman from the street up six flights of stairs into her New York City apartment and stabbed her to death was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on July 30.

Assamad Nash, 27, was sentenced in Manhattan state Supreme Court for the February 13, 2022, murder of 35-year-old Christina Yuna Lee.

Judge Laura Ward of the Manhattan Criminal Court stated that while Christina Yuna Lee cannot be brought back, she is committed to ensuring justice is served.

Judge Ward emphasized that such incidents must never happen again and that those who instill fear in citizens with their crimes need to be kept off the streets.

Lee’s family members, present at the courtroom, wept openly upon hearing the sentence, and even court security personnel were seen with teary eyes.

Nash was brought to trial for brutally stabbing Lee in her Chinatown apartment in the early hours of February 13, 2022. Lee was found in her bathroom with at least 40 stab wounds. At the time of his arrest, Nash was residing in a nearby shelter and had a criminal record with at least ten arrests for charges including robbery since 2012.

In cases of “30 years to life” sentences, the possibility of parole is reviewed after 30 years. During this review, factors such as the public interest at the time of sentencing and the impact on the victims are considered. Consequently, over 150 members from the Korean American Association of Greater New York, the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, and the Asian American Bar Association, among others, attended the sentencing, urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence.

In court, Lee’s father, Seong-gon Lee, tearfully stated, “Our family must live the rest of our lives in pain.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg also conveyed his condolences to the family immediately after the sentencing.

Lee attributed the tragedy to New York State’s bail reform law and the police’s inadequate response. “A criminal who should have been in jail was walking freely and committed this heinous act against my daughter,” he said. He also criticized the police, stating, “The police wasted 1 hour and 20 minutes before entering the scene,” and demanded full disclosure and accountability for the handling of the incident.

The Lee family is currently pursuing a lawsuit against the City of New York. Attorney Charles Yoon (former president of the Korean American Association of Greater New York) stated, “The family is requesting that one of New York City’s homeless shelters be renamed ‘Christina Yuna Lee Memorial Shelter.’”

BY EUNBYUL KIM, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.eb@koreadailyny.com]