SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Nima Momeni, the killer of tech mogul Bob Lee, was convicted of second diploma homicide this week. Prosecutors mentioned Momeni made a chilly and calculated choice to homicide Lee in San Francisco on April 4, 2023 to get revenge for his sister. After the jury’s responsible verdict was introduced on Tuesday, Lee’s household vowed to proceed looking for justice via submitting a civil case towards Momeni’s relations, together with his sister, Khazar.
Contained in the courtroom on Tuesday, the killer rotated and locked eyes along with his mom, Mahnaz Tayarani. The mom fashioned her fingers into the form of a coronary heart, reassuring her son that she nonetheless beloved and supported him.
Khazar Momeni walks out of a San Francisco courtroom along with her mom on Oct. 22, 2024. (KRON4 Picture)
Bob Lee’s ex-wife, Krista Lee, revealed that her household is making ready for a civil trial towards Momeni, Khazar, Khazar’s husband, and Momeni’s mom for his or her alleged try and cowl up the crime after Bob Lee was stabbed to demise. “They are all absolutely guilty,” Krista Lee instructed KRON4.
Krista Lee mentioned she not too long ago obtained new info that may allegedly expose extra concerning the Momeni household’s tried coverup, and the data shall be used for a civil trial. Krista Lee met privately with District Lawyer Brooke Jenkins on Tuesday afternoon.
Bob Lee’s ex spouse, Krista Lee, is seen within the San Francisco courthouse on Dec. 17, 2024. (AP Picture/Benjamin Fanjoy)
For his high-profile prison trial, Momeni testified that he acted in self-defense. Momeni claimed he made a “bad joke” about Bob Lee spending time in strip golf equipment as a substitute of along with his household. Bob Lee “blew up” with anger and attacked with a knife, the defendant testified. Jurors didn’t imagine Momeni’s self-defense declare and reached a unanimous verdict for second-degree homicide.
Prosecutors mentioned the homicide case’s motive centered on Khazar and Momeni was an “overprotective big brother.”
Khazar was a no-show for Tuesday’s verdict. She solely confirmed up at courtroom for her brother’s arraignment and when she was ordered to testify for the trial. Khazar defended her brother’s character in entrance of the jury and talked about her relationship with Lee. Khazar and Lee partied collectively within the days main as much as his demise. At one of many events, Khazar mentioned she was sexually assaulted by Lee’s drug supplier on April 3, 2023 and she or he referred to as her brother for assist.
Khazar, middle, arrives for the arraignment of Nima Momeni, her brother, on Might 18, 2023. (AP Picture /Godofredo A. Vásquez)
After he drove his sister house to Millennium Tower, Momeni referred to as Bob Lee to interrogate him, asking why was Khazar bare on the social gathering and did something “inappropriate” occurred, the sufferer’s pal testified.
Krista Lee’s feelings boiled over throughout Khazar’s fourth day on the stand. “My husband was murdered. She has no right to make herself a victim in this. She can go f**k herself,” Krista Lee mentioned.
Protection attorneys and prosecutors each instructed the jury that Khazar lied on the witness stand and she or he struggles with drug dependancy.
Surveillance movies confirmed Bob Lee and Momeni left Khazar’s rental round 2 a.m. on April 4, 2023. Thirty minutes later, the 2 males stepped out of Momeni’s white BMW underneath the Bay Bridge and Bob Lee was stabbed via the guts.
Momeni was the one particular person charged with a criminal offense in connection to Lee’s demise. KRON4 requested Tayarani on Tuesday concerning the looming civil battle. She shook her head and easily answered, “They can do anything they want.”
Nima Momeni’s mom posted this signal outdoors the San Francisco courthouse after her son was discovered responsible of homicide on Dec. 17, 2024. (KRON4 Picture)
Tayarani had tears in her eyes as she referred to as the decision unfair this week. “My son is not the person that they think. He’s very kind,” she instructed reporters. She hung up an indication outdoors the courthouse studying, “Self defense is not a crime.” The mom attended daily of her son’s two-month-long trial.
Police detectives who investigated the homicide case testified about what occurred after the tech mogul was slain. Detectives mentioned Momeni’s mom, sister, and brother-in-law refused to cooperate with their investigation. It took investigators 9 days earlier than that they had sufficient proof to arrest him.
Bob Lee
Simply earlier than daybreak on April 13, 2023, San Francisco Police Division officers executed three search warrants at three properties concurrently. As a SWAT group stormed into Momeni’s Emeryville house, one other group raided Khazar’s luxurious rental on the forty first ground of Millennium Tower in San Francisco.
The third SFPD group searched a rental on the twenty ninth ground of Millennium Tower the place Khazar’s husband, plastic surgeon Dino Elyassnia, lives. Elyassnia refused to reply “fundamental questions,” reminiscent of giving his telephone quantity and spelling his identify, murder detective Domenico Discenza testified. Khazar additionally refused to reply any questions to assist police resolve their homicide case.
SFPD Lt. Phillip Gordon mentioned his group was unable to seek out Momeni’s white BMW and the clothes that he wore throughout the killing. Momeni testified that by the point police confirmed up, he had already left his BMW and clothes at his mom’s home. Prosecutors mentioned Tayarani bought the BMW.
Khazar Momeni, the sister of Bob Lee’s accused killer, simply arrived on the SF courthouse to testify this morning. Yesterday she was on the stand for six hours. Right here’s what she instructed the jury: https://t.co/5yOyQ6WYsg@kron4news pic.twitter.com/29T3cINdHL
— Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) October 22, 2024
Momeni’s household employed protection lawyer Paula Canny, gave her all of their cellphones, and acquired new cellphones, based on trial testimony. Khazar and her husband paid for Momeni’s protection attorneys, later hiring attorneys Saam Zangeneh, Bradford Cohen, Tony Brass, and Zoe Aaron.
Momeni and Khazar are usually not solely siblings, however they’re additionally “super friends,” a prosecutor mentioned, including, “they hung out all the time, texted all the time.” Within the days after the murder, the siblings’ textual content messages abruptly stopped.
Brass mentioned Momeni plans to enchantment his prison conviction. “Obviously anyone in his position is going to feel very disappointed. This is a very painful day and this is not the end of this story. There were a lot of decisions made. Some of them we don’t think were right and that’s why we have an appellate court.”
Jenkins mentioned her prosecutors are able to battle as soon as an enchantment is filed. “A defense lawyer worth their salt is going to file an appeal of any conviction. I have great confidence (prosecutors) will do everything that we need to sustain this conviction.”
Bob Lee's ex-wife, Krista, mentioned she is pleased with the decision. "Let's get this a**hole sentenced and put away." Krista mentioned her household will pursue a civil case towards Nima Momeni, his mother, his sister Khazar, and Khazar's rich husband Dino. "They are all absolutely guilty." pic.twitter.com/5BMDC8Bxig
— Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) December 17, 2024
Krista Lee mentioned she was blissful that Momeni is now a convicted assassin. “Let’s get this a**hole sentenced and put away,” she instructed reporters.
Momeni is going through 16 to life when he’s sentenced in 2025. He’ll stay locked in a San Francisco County jail till his subsequent courtroom look on January 10.
