HASTINGS, Minn. — A 25-year-old Minneapolis woman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Friday in connection to the Sept. 24 shooting death of Michael Chang-Beom Lee.
Fotini West is one of two suspects charged in Lee's murder after he was found dead inside an Inver Grove Heights home. A sentencing hearing for West is scheduled for May 3. Logan Slack also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday, Jan. 31 in connection to Lee's death.
According to court documents, officers responded to a home on the 2100 block 78th Court East after receiving a 911 call — and hang up — on Sept. 24 at around 2 a.m. When police arrived, they found Lee dead on the floor in a downstairs bathroom.
Investigators spoke to witnesses who said they saw a dark-colored SUV drive away from the scene seconds before the officers arrived. A different officer stopped a black Toyota at a nearby intersection that had three passengers. The driver was identified as Slack and West was a passenger inside the vehicle, according to police.
Prosecutors said West had blood on her arms, hands and chest, and told police that she went to a man's house and was assaulted when she tried to leave.
While performing the traffic stop, the officers were informed about Lee's death and we asked to take a photo of Slack's show soles to see if they match the bloody footprints found at the crime scene. Upon transporting Slack to the Dakota County Jail, officers noticed a lump in his sweatshirt pocket, which was determined to be the soles of the shoes he was wearing, the documents said.
While interviewing Slack at the jail, he reportedly told investigators that he had dropped West off at Lee's home to allegedly perform an erotic massage in exchange for money, the criminal complaint explained. According to prosecutors, West told Slack that she was assaulted and payment for the services was canceled. At that point, Slack allegedly got a gun from his SUV and forced his way into the residence by breaking through a back door, according to the criminal complaint, and chased Lee into the basement where the victim locked himself inside the bathroom.
Court documents say Slack broke a hole in the door and shot Lee in the back to stop him from calling 911 and to obtain his cell phone to "ensure electronic payment for the massage."
After the shooting, West went into the bathroom and took Lee's phone, and both fled from the house, prosecutors said.
Police searched the SUV West and Slack were riding in and located a revolver and cell phone with blood on it under the front passenger seat.
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