It was an unfortunate case in New York when 27-year-old A. Nash was given 30 years to life in jail for killing 35-year-old C. Lee and trying to assault him sexually. Nash got this term after he admitted to second-degree murder and first-degree burglary as a crime of convenience.
Lee died tragically on February 13, 2022, in her home, where she was meant to be safe, during a long and violent attack. Lee and Nash got into a fight when Nash followed Lee out of an Uber in front of her building. Nash, who was homeless and living at a nearby shelter, watched Lee from the street and then quietly followed her into her building and up to her apartment.
Nash forced his way into Lee’s room and started his attack as Lee walked in. People in Lee’s neighborhood called 911 right away because of her screams, but the cops couldn’t get into the apartment until it was too late.
As Nash attempted to escape through a window, police noticed him carrying something yellow. According to the prosecutors, he went inside when he saw a police officer on the roof above. When the police finally got into the victim’s house through the front door, they found him hiding under a mattress.
A kitchen knife with a yellow handle that was stained with blood was hidden behind a table nearby. Officers found Lee’s body in her bathtub in the bathroom. She had been stabbed at least 40 times.
The NYPD’s response has been highly criticized, and the victim’s father has spoken out about how sad and angry he is that it took so long for police to arrive. He didn’t like how the police responded and asked why it took the NYPD over 80 minutes to get into her apartment after they got there in minutes.
During the punishment, he gave a moving victim impact statement in which he talked about how kind and hardworking his daughter was, highlighting how much her family and community had lost.
Nash’s guilty plea sped up the court process, which ended with his latest sentence. The murder, which happened at a time when anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, has led to broader conversations about safety, community responsibility, and how well the city’s homeless support services are working.
Lee was known for speaking out against hate crimes, and her death has made people even more vocal about the need for more protection and help for groups that are weak. In honor of Lee’s memory and legacy, her family is pushing for the building of a home that would both remember her life and help stop similar tragedies from happening again.
The goal of this proposed shelter is to help people who are homeless and give them the tools they need. Nash’s sentencing marks the end of the formal part of this tragedy, but the effects on the community as a whole are still being felt. The Lee family wants to sue the city because they want the police to be held accountable and for community support systems and police reaction to be changed in a meaningful way.
