CARY N.C. – The jury has found Brandon Lee guilty of the murder of his mother and girlfriend in 2015.

Police arrested Lee for the murders of his mother, 58-year-old Krista Lee, and his girlfriend, 28-year-old Krystal Hylton.

The verdict was made Thursday evening.

 

 

Judge Graham Shirley sentenced Brandon Lee to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Wake County records show Lee had been arrested and charged with trespassing, communicating threats, and disorderly conduct in the months prior.

Lee turned himself in following the murders, but left his mother’s body on ice in the bathtub for a week before doing so.

Lee also stayed the night at his girlfriend’s house after strangling her before turning himself in.

He has been charged with first-degree murder but his defense attorney argues that this was not premeditated.

Many witnesses testified in court including the 911 operator who received his call.

Donna Strickland said, In all the years I have taken phone calls, there is a handful that do stand out. This is definitely one. It was not a type of call I had taken before.”

Tuesday, October 1, 2019:

Lee took to the stand in his own defense. He admitted to killing both women but says that he did not plan to.

As Lee answered questions, jurors were exposed to answers surrounding the circumstances of the murders. Lee says he was an alcoholic, his mother was “off the chain” and his relationship with Krystal Hylton was “volatile”.

He also says that the day he killed his mother, she came at him with a knife, slapped him, and said she was going to kill him. He also claims that she gave him $20 and told him to go buy a bottle of vodka and Prozac pills in order to kill himself.

Lee said during his testimony, "'You think Krystal wants you? You think she wants you? You think anybody wants your sorry (expletive) you sorry (expletive). You ain't (expletive), you'll never be (expletive), you're nothing but a punk I said if you want to die then die (expletive). Die.' And then we went to the ground and I was like, 'die if you want to die .... at that point it was like I wasn't even living, I wasn't even myself, I wasn't even, I wasn't...(crying)"

Lee went on to explain that the reason he didn’t report the murders sooner was because he was trying to find a home for his dog.

After Lee denied to be cross-examined and declined to answer any more questions, the judge said he would consider a mistrial. 

Wednesday, October 2, 2019:

The judge announced that he does not plan to declare this case a mistrial.

Psychologist Dr. Nancy Laney took the stand. She says Lee told her about his struggles with alcohol that began as a teen.

Dr. Laney also said that she disagrees with a previous psychologist who also took the stand. Dr. Laney says she does not believe that Lee has a mental illness.

Thursday, October 3, 2019:

Both parties made their closing arguments this morning.

Lee’s defense attorney, Jonathan Broun, pleaded with the jury to find him guilty, but guilty of the right crime. He made not attempt to dispose of the bodies or try to cover it up or try to blame somebody else for the crime, because this is not something that was well-planned out."

Broun has been pushing for second-degree murder for Lee's ex-girlfriend Krystal Hylton and voluntary manslaughter for Lee's mother, Krista Lee due to the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

On the other side, prosecuting attorney, Patrick LaTour argued that these murders were premeditated and the jury should convict Lee of first-degree murder. LaTour says, "The law says if you think about killing them and you make the intentional decision to kill them, however slight, however long you thought about it, it could be an instant. It could be grabbing somebody and saying, 'I'm mad at you, I'm killing you, bam.' That's premeditation. Don't fall for the plan idea."