Inset: Monica Moon Lee, one of two women killed by Jianchun Li (Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary). Background: Police outside the California assisted living facility where Jianchun Li murdered two residents (KTLA).
A California caregiver has been sentenced to prison for life after murdering two elderly nursing home residents within half an hour, killing both women by strangling them with a plastic bag and electrical tape.
Jianchun Li, 44, received a sentence Thursday of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killings at Happy Homes Care, an assisted living facility in Diamond Bar, where prosecutors said he turned a bathroom into the scene of two fatal attacks.
Li killed Monica Moon Lee, 75, and Hee Sook Park, 83, inside the facility’s bathroom in June 2023. According to prosecutors, Li first “ushered” Moon, who had dementia and used a walker, into the bathroom shortly before 7 a.m. About 30 minutes later, he killed Park in the same bathroom using the same method.
“[Li] placed a plastic bag over [Moon’s] head, wrapped electrical tape around her neck, and strangled her,” the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in an Aug. 28 press release announcing his conviction.
“Thirty minutes later, Li then took Hee Sook Park … to the same bathroom and murdered her in the same manner,” prosecutors said.
Li was assigned to an overnight shift at Happy Homes Care when the murders occurred. Emergency responders were called to the Diamond Bar assisted living facility, but both women were pronounced dead at the scene.
A Los Angeles County jury found Li guilty of murder on Aug. 20. One week later, jurors also rejected his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
“Three years ago, Monica Moon Lee and Hee Sook Park’s lives were brutally taken by Jianchun Li, the very person expected to keep them safe,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “I thank the jury for holding Li responsible and finding him sane when he made the decision to kill two vulnerable women who were entrusted to his care.”
Hochman added, “We hope this verdict brings a measure of closure to the victims’ loved ones and the Diamond Bar community. Justice was served and Li will be held fully accountable for his horrific and senseless crimes.”
The post Caregiver put plastic bag over dementia patient’s head and taped up her neck, killed another woman the exact same way 30 minutes later — now he is headed to prison first appeared on Law & Crime.
