Homeless man followed woman into New York City apartment and stabbed her 40 times before she died slowly

A homeless man from New York City has been handed a minimum 30-year prison sentence for the horrific murder of a woman he followed into her apartment and savagely stabbed to death .

In the early hours of Feb. 13, 2022, Christina Yuna Lee was returning to her flat at the intersection of Grand and Chrystie Streets in Chinatown around 4:20 a.m. Assamad Nash had been observing Lee from the street and stealthily trailed her up to her residence.

Upon reaching her door, Nash forced entry, attempted to sexually assault her, and then began to methodically stab her, inflicting over 40 wounds as she tragically bled to death over an hour, as reported by Law and Crime.

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Neighbours alerted the police within two minutes upon hearing Lee's terrifying screams, concerned for the welfare of the 35-year-old. Police officers, located just blocks away, took several minutes to arrive at the scene and were initially unable to access the building.

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg recounted that officers could hear her "calling for help inside," but were unable to intervene promptly. Finally, at 5:40 a.m. , more than an hour after Lee got home, the authorities managed to break down the door, only to find the Splice creative producer had already passed away.

The police caught Nash trying to flee through the window of the flat with a yellow item in hand. He ducked back inside upon spotting NYPD officers on the rooftop, and was later discovered by officers who forced entry, hiding beneath a mattress.

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Lee's remains were found in the bath, having sustained over 40 stab wounds to her torso, head, and neck. The "yellow-handled kitchen knife" used in the savage killing was concealed behind a chest of drawers.

Nash, who had been staying at a Bowery shelter, was charged the next day with first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and burglary as a sexually motivated felony. On June 18, he admitted guilt to second-degree murder and first-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony.

This Tuesday, Nash received a sentence of 30 years to life.

Lee's father expressed his family's profound grief during Nash's sentencing: "After Christina died, the remaining family members have been having a hard time living each day, feeling overwhelmed with longing and regret," and questioned, "Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen to our family? I just feel resentful that God is giving my family this ordeal."

Christina was described by her father as good-natured and "considerate."

In a heart-wrenching victim impact statement, Sungkon Lee told the New York County Supreme Court Justice Laura Ward, as reported by the New York Daily News, "She was a truly good daughter who always treated her family, friends and the people around her with a smile and kindness. She worked hard at her company with a sincere attitude. As an employee, she was praised by her colleagues for being an excellent employee."

After the court session on Tuesday, Sungkon announced the family's intention to sue the city, expressing dissatisfaction with the police response time, pointing out that although officers arrived within minutes, they took 80 minutes to enter the apartment. He emphasized that the lawsuit isn't about money but about creating a legacy in Christina's name.

"We want Christina's memory to be remembered and to prevent others from having a similar fate," he stated, as per the Daily News. The family believes that establishing a shelter in her honour, especially considering the attacker was homeless, could help prevent future tragedies and serve as a tribute to Christina.

At the time of her tragic death, Christina was actively involved in raising awareness about Asian hate crimes, which had increased following the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. Whether her murder was driven by hate remains uncertain.