The man convicted of fatally stabbing a 35-year-old woman after following her into her Chinatown apartment in 2022 has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Assamad Nash, 27, pleaded guilty last month to charges of second-degree murder and first-degree burglary as a sexually motivated felony in the death of Christina Yuna Lee.  

Prosecutors said Nash admitted to following Lee into her building near Grand and Chrystie streets in February 2022, pushing his way into her apartment and trying to sexually assault her before stabbing her at least 40 times.

Neighbors heard screams coming from Lee’s apartment and phoned 911 for help, according to prosecutors. Police arrived at the apartment minutes later and heard screams as well, but could not breach the door, prosecutors said.

Nearly an hour and a half later, when police broke down the apartment door, prosecutors said police found Nash lying underneath Lee’s mattress and a bloodied knife stashed behind her dresser.

Authorities said Lee, who was found in the bathroom, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Court records showed Nash had a history of arrests, including charges of assault and harassment, prior to the fatal attack on Lee.

Lee's murder sparked fear and widespread outrage within the Asian American community, occurring during a year marked by a sharp increase in anti-Asian incidents.

“Christina Yuna Lee was killed in an unthinkably horrific manner in her own apartment at the hands of Assamad Nash,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “Ms. Yuna Lee was a creative, kind and joyful person and her death not only devastated her family but left a lasting impact on an entire community.”

“I hope the resolution of this case offers comfort and a sense of justice for everyone that has been touched by Ms. Yuna Lee’s life and this tragedy,” Bragg added. “May her legacy be celebrated for years to come.”