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The Murder of Hae Min Lee

Adnan Syed was convicted for the crime

By True Crime WriterPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Hae Min Lee, a Woodlawn High School senior, disappeared on January 13, 1999. She was last seen leaving the Baltimore high school, headed to pick up her 6-year-old cousin and then to her job at LensCrafters, at 2:15 p.m.

One month later, a maintenance worker found her body in the woods at Leakin Park. She had been strangled to death.

Lee’s ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for the murder in late Feb. 1999. After a mistrial, Syed was found guilty of his ex-girlfriend’s murder.

Lee and Syed secretly dated for months but split in December 2018. She began dating a boy named Don Clinedinst, a coworker at LensCrafters. The pair went on their first date in early January. Two weeks later, Lee was dead.

Podcast Sparks Interest in the Case

Despite the more than two decades that have passed since Lee’s disappearance, interest in the case rekindled in 2014 after the Serial Podcast covered the story, leading to the Supreme Court ordering a new trial for Syed. The Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2019, citing “overwhelming evidence pointing to Syed’s guilt.”

Most people believe Syed murdered Lee and is right where he should be. Others adamantly stand by their opinion that the wrong man is behind bars.

Man Finds Lee’s Body

Police first focused their investigation on the man who found Lee, a maintenance worker named Alonzo Sellers, who told police he was driving and drinking a beer when he needed to urinate. He pulled over to the side of the road, walked into the woods, and discovered her body. Police found it odd that he walked 127-feet into the woods to pee.

Investigation Takes a Turn

Their investigation took a turn after a man named Jay Wilds called them. Wilds told police that on Jan. 13, the day Lee disappeared, Syed asked to borrow his car during his lunch break at school. Wilds agreed. He said Syed called him later in the day asking for a ride from a local Best Buy. He obliged his friend's request. Upon arrival at Best Buy, Syed opened the trunk, revealing Lee’s body inside.

Wilds and Lee

The two parked the car in a parking lot and returned later in the evening to collect Lee’s body and dispose of it.

Wilds' story changed during each police interview and again during his trial.

Lee and a friend

Syed Speaks to Serial Podcast

Speaking to the Serial podcast team in 2014, Syed said that on the day of Lee’s disappearance, he attended two classes at high school. He borrowed a car from a friend named Jay Wilds. The teacher’s records show Syed arrived at his psychology class at 1:27, although the class began at 12:50. He said he visited the library, spoke to a girl, checked his email, and then headed to track practice. He says he then visited a friend's house with Wilds. While at the friend's house, Officer Scott Adcock calls his cell phone, asking if he had seen Lee. he replied, “he was supposed to get a ride home from the victim, but got detained at school and felt that she got tired of waiting.” He said he then grabbed some food and attended mosque with his family.

Hae Lin had been strangled to death.

Biography.com

On Feb. 28, 1999, police located Hae Lin’s car and arrested Syed shortly thereafter. He was 17-years-old, charged as an adult with first-degree murder.

The first trial began on March 1, 1999, and ended in a mistrial. In January 2000, the second trial began and Syed was convicted of murder. Syed was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years.

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About the Creator

True Crime Writer

The best of the worst true crime, history, strange and Unusual stories. Graphic material. Intended for a mature audience ONLY.

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