"If I don't come back, please come looking for me. I don't trust Nikki." — Hang Lee
"She entered my business and never came out." — Mark Stephen Wallace (Reported statement to a witness)
"The spiritual release acknowledges that Heng may no longer be alive in this world, but she will live in our hearts forever. She is her family would like to honor her by releasing her spirit to the other world." — Lillian Lee (Hang's niece)
This episode delves into the 1993 disappearance of 17-year-old Hang Lee from St. Paul, Minnesota. Initially dismissed by police as a runaway, the investigation faced significant hurdles, including language barriers for Hang's refugee parents and a lack of initial urgency from law enforcement. Key evidence, such as Hang leaving behind her belongings, her untouched savings, and her last cryptic words to her brother about not trusting her friend Nikki, began to shift the investigation's focus.
The case became increasingly complex with the introduction of Mark Stephen Wallace, a local businessman with a history of violent sexual assaults. Wallace, who had offered Hang an interview for a job, became a person of interest after his story repeatedly changed and his past criminal record came to light. Despite extensive searches of his property and repeated interviews, concrete evidence linking him directly to Hang's disappearance remained elusive for many years.
The investigation spanned decades, with the case being officially reopened in 2005. While new leads emerged, including a significant development in 2016 when Wallace was arrested for unrelated charges and made incriminating statements to a witness, a conviction in Hang's case has not yet been secured. The episode underscores the devastating and prolonged pain experienced by the Lee family, who continue to seek answers and closure, highlighting the challenges of solving cold cases and the lasting impact on victims' families.