NEW YORK (NewsNation Now) — Christina Lee, 35, was returning to her home in New York’s Chinatown around 4:20 a.m. Sunday when, according to surveillance video, a man came in behind her.
That man, identified by police as 25-year-old Assamad Nash, a man experiencing homelessness, allegedly stalked Lee up six flights of stairs and forced his way into her apartment. Lee screamed for help and neighbors called police, but officers were initially unable to force their way into the apartment.
According to police, Nash mimicked a woman’s voice through the closed door, saying everything was OK and no one in the unit needed assistance, then attempted to escape using the fire escape before coming back into the apartment.
A SWAT team arrived about an hour later, but it was too late to save Lee. Officers forced entry to the apartment and found Lee’s body in the bathtub. She had been stabbed more than 40 times, according to police reports.
Nash was found hiding under a bed in the apartment and what’s believed to be the weapon used in the stabbing was found behind a dresser, according to police.
Nash was taken into custody. Monday night, he was arraigned on charges of murder and burglary. He could face life in prison.
Lee’s neighbors in the close-knit community are understandable on edge at what seems to such a random crime. One neighbor NewsNation’s Paul Gerke spoke with said, “This is my neighborhood, and it’s just so sad that this happened here. It’s not fair. It’s really tragic, and I feel like things need to change.”
The Korean American community plans to rally at 11 a.m. today across the street from the apartment building where Lee was killed at Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
