At around 4:20 a.m. on February 13, 2022, Christina Yuna Lee was on her way to her apartment located at the intersection of Grand and Chrystie Streets in Chinatown. Unbeknownst to her, Assamad Nash had been observing her from the street and clandestinely followed her all the way to her unit.
According to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the police could hear her “calling for help inside,” but unfortunately, they were unable to enter. Despite their efforts, they were only able to break down the door at 5:40 a.m., which was more than an hour after Lee returned home. Tragically, by that point, the Splice creative producer had already passed away.
According to reports, Nash was caught by the police trying to flee through the apartment window while holding a yellow object. However, as soon as he spotted the NYPD officers on the roof, he quickly retreated back inside. The officers had to forcibly enter the apartment and found Nash hiding under a mattress.
On the next day, Nash, who was believed to have been residing in a shelter located in the nearby Bowery neighborhood, was accused of committing first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and burglary as a sexually motivated felony. After a few months, on June 18, Nash admitted to committing second-degree murder and first-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony. This week, Nash was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
During Nash’s sentencing hearing, Lee’s father expressed the family’s struggle to cope with Christina’s death. “Each day has been a challenge for us,” he shared. “We feel overwhelmed with longing and regret.” He went on to question why God would allow such a tragedy to happen to their family, saying, “I just feel resentful that God is putting my family through this ordeal.”
In his victim impact statement, Sungkon Lee spoke highly of Christina, describing her as a kind and considerate person. He urged Justice Laura Ward to impose the maximum sentence on Nash for his heinous crime. According to the New York Daily News, Sungkon Lee said, “She was a truly good daughter who always treated her family, friends, and the people around her with a smile and kindness. She worked diligently at her company with a sincere attitude and was praised by her colleagues for being an excellent employee.” Christina’s positive character and work ethic were evident to those who knew her, and her loss has left a deep void in the lives of those closest to her.
Sungkon, while standing outside the courtroom on Tuesday, expressed his disappointment over the police response to the situation and announced that his family would be filing a lawsuit against the city. He pointed out that even though officers arrived at the apartment within minutes, it took them 80 minutes to gain entry. Sungkon clarified that his family is not seeking monetary compensation but rather wants the city to construct a shelter in his daughter’s honor.
Sungkon expressed the desire to keep Christina’s memory alive and prevent others from meeting a similar fate. The culprit, being homeless, is the reason behind this initiative. It is aimed at preventing the occurrence of such incidents in the future and serves as a way to honor and remember Christina.
Christina was working as an activist at the time of her death. She was actively raising awareness about the alarming rise in Asian hate crimes, which had surged following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. While it is uncertain whether her murder was motivated by hate, Christina’s efforts to combat discrimination and violence against Asian Americans continue to inspire many.
