A woman was brutally murdered in her Chinatown apartment early Sunday, and a man who already had multiple open court cases is in custody in her death.
Police responded just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday to a 911 call from an apartment building in the 100 block of Chrystie Street. When they arrived, the door was barricaded. Emergency Services Unit personnel were eventually able to get the door open, at which point they found the body of the 35-year-old woman, later identified as Christina Yuna Lee, in her bathroom.
According to two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation, it appears the woman arrived home early Sunday after a night out, and was followed into her apartment by her attacker, who stabbed her multiple times. When cops gained entry to the apartment, the suspect was covered in blood.
The sources also said it did not immediately appear to be a hate crime, though the investigation is ongoing.
Three law enforcement officials familiar with the case identified the suspect as Assamad Nash; they said Nash had five prior felonies and three pending court cases on various matters. He is believed to have most recently lived at a homeless shelter on The Bowery.
Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Sunday afternoon pledging once again to crack down on the sharp increase in violence in the city.
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“I and New Yorkers across the city mourn for the innocent woman murdered in her home last night in Chinatown and stand with our Asian brothers and sisters today," he said in a statement.
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For the year to date through Feb. 6, major crimes are up 42% in New York City versus the same period last year. Murder is actually the only category in the index to be down year over year.
