Un Sam Lee was an active businesswoman living in Southern California, known throughout the Korean community in both Los Angeles County and Orange County. Over the years, the forty-seven-year-old Asian woman had established herself as a prominent entrepreneur, owning and managing multiple massage spas across the two counties. Among her business ventures was the Happy Spa, located in Santa Monica, where she frequently spent her working evenings overseeing operations and managing daily business affairs.
The last known sighting of Lee occurred late on Thursday night, April 4, 2002. At approximately 11:00 p.m., she closed up and departed from Happy Spa in Santa Monica, heading out behind the wheel of her white 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan. She was expected to return to her residence in La Mirada, a quiet suburban community nestled along the southeastern border of Los Angeles County. After leaving her business that night, however, communication ceased, and she was not seen alive by associates or loved ones again.
Approximately thirty-six hours later, concerns led to a check on her welfare. At around noon on Saturday, April 6, 2002, Lee was discovered dead inside her home at the Hillsborough Condominium complex in La Mirada. First responders arrived to secure the scene, and it quickly became apparent that her death was the result of a homicide. The specific cause of death was not publicly released by authorities or the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau took charge of the murder inquiry, logging the matter under file number 002-06489-0467-011. Detectives meticulously combed the condominium unit for physical clues, potential signs of forced entry, and evidence of theft or disturbance. As part of their initial work, investigators sought to trace Lee's precise movements from the moment she drove away from Santa Monica on Thursday night to when her body was found on Saturday, attempting to determine whether she had been followed home or confronted inside her residence.
In October 2002, the Sheriff's Department issued a formal bulletin requesting assistance from the public, specifically seeking witnesses or anyone with knowledge of Lee's personal or professional interactions. The bulletin highlighted her business enterprises across Los Angeles and Orange counties and urged community members to come forward with tips. Detectives J. Leslie and P. Martinez spearheaded the investigative effort from the bureau's headquarters in Commerce, California.
Despite the outreach and investigative efforts, no suspect has ever been publicly identified, detained, or charged in connection with the crime. Decades have passed since Un Sam Lee was killed inside her home, leaving questions about the motive and circumstances surrounding her death entirely unresolved. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau continues to maintain the case as an open investigation and encourages anyone who may have information to contact detectives.
