HASTINGS, Minn. — A Twin Cities couple will spend decades behind bars for their roles in the death of an Inver Grove Heights man described as "radiant," his family's sun.
Fotini West and Logan Slack appeared in a packed Dakota County courtroom Tuesday morning to be sentenced for the murder of Michael Chang-Beom Lee, known to his family and friends as Mikey. The 26-year-old West received 30 years as specified when she agreed to plead guilty to a charge of second-degree murder. Slack later received the same sentence.
“I am pleased that these two individuals are being held accountable for the respective roles they played in the senseless murder of Michael Lee," said Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena. "Our deepest sympathy is extended to Mr. Lee’s family for their loss.”
Before Judge Richelle Wahi pronounced the sentence, Lee's wife Lisa Xiong shared an impact statement with the court describing her husband and what he meant to their family.
"He was our sun. He was radiant," Xiong said, sharing that the 43-year-old Lee was an excellent volleyball player, hard-working jack of all trades and most of all, a devoted father to their son, who was just two years old when Lee was killed. Xiong said the boy was inside the home when Lee was murdered and just recently recalled the events of that day, waking up crying and calling for his "Appa," a Korean word that means dad.
Xiong said she and Lee had struggled with infertility, and were trying to have another child when he was killed.
The prosecution described West as a drug-addicted sex worker who also used extortion as a way to get money from victims. Assistant Dakota County Attorney Caitie Prokopowicz also told the courtroom that West lied to her partner Logan Slack, telling him that Lee assaulted her which led to the fatal shooting.
West's defense team told Judge Wahi that the defendant is more than her actions that night, blaming substance use disorder and mental illness. Her legal team says West maintains that neither she nor Slack grasped the consequences of what they were doing, and described their actions as "scared, desperate and misguided."
When given the chance to speak to the courtroom herself, West insisted that the justice system doesn't care about "both sides of the story" and said if they got to know her and Logan Slack they would "realize the way we're being portrayed is completely wrong." West claimed that she receives fan mail in jail, and that she has saved many lives, but did not elaborate.
KARE 11's Lou Raguse was in court for the sentencing, and described West's demeanor as "indignant." Raguse says when it was time for her co-defendant to be sentenced, Logan Slack struck a completely different tone. He was remorseful and apologetic, reflecting on his own experience growing up without a father.
"There is nothing I can say that will undo what I did that night," the 25-year-old Slack told Judge . To think that I caused another child to not have a father… words can’t describe how remorseful I am."
Judge Wahi noted the difference while still handing Slack a 30-year sentence for shooting Lee. "Unlike your codefendant, you have taken responsibility here and you have acted in a way to extend empathy and respect," the judge said.
A criminal complaint says Inver Grove police officers responded to a home on the 2100 block 78th Court East after receiving a 911 call — and hang up — on Sept. 24,2022 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. Slack told detectives that he had dropped West off at Lee's home to allegedly perform an erotic massage in exchange for money, but claimed Lee had assaulted her and canceled payment for services. Slack reportedly told investigators he ran to his vehicle, grabbed a gun and shot Lee through a locked bathroom door to keep him from calling 911.
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