Mother of two found guilty of killing children in New Zealand’s chilling ‘suitcase murders’ case

In New Zealand, a mother of two was found guilty on Tuesday (Sep 23) of killing her children and stashing their bodies in suitcases. Announcing the ruling in the high-profile case that came to be known as the ‘New Zealand suitcase murders’ and drew international attention, the prosecutor in her summary noted that the woman Hakyung Lee, "in sound mind, deliberately murdered" her children, eight-year-old Yuna Jo and six-year-old Minu Jo, before stuffing their corpses into suitcases.

The chilling murders

Hakyung Lee, 45, a New Zealand citizen originally from South Korea, was extradited from Seoul in 2022 after the remains of her children, Yuna and Minu Jo, were discovered in a storage unit in South Auckland. The children, aged eight and six at the time of their deaths, had been dead for at least three to four years before the discovery.

Lee had confessed to killing her children, so the trial focused not on whether she committed the murders, but on her mental state at the time. Under New Zealand law, defendants are presumed sane unless proven otherwise, meaning it was up to the defence to establish that Lee was not criminally responsible due to insanity.

Mental insanity or planned murders

Hakyung Lee's lawyers argued that the death of her husband in 2017 had sent her into a depressive spiral. A forensic psychiatrist testified that she had experienced deep depression, suicidal thoughts, and guilt, and that she believed ending her children’s lives was the morally right action.

The prosecution, however, presented a contrasting narrative. They pointed to Lee’s efforts to conceal the bodies, her decision to leave the country, and steps she had taken to distance herself from her previous life — including changing her name and severing ties with New Zealand — as evidence that she knew her actions were wrong. “Ms Lee deliberately, and in sound mind, deliberately murdered Minu and Yuna,” prosecutor Natalie Walker said in her closing statement, calling for a verdict of guilty.

After just two hours of deliberation, the jury at Auckland High Court returned guilty verdicts. Justice Geoffrey Venning acknowledged the natural sympathy jurors might feel for the children and, separately, for Lee herself, but emphasised the importance of basing the verdict on evidence.

Lee now faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years. Before being sent to prison, she may be detained in a mental health facility under a compulsory treatment order. Sentencing is scheduled for November.

Throughout the three-week trial, Lee remained largely silent, sitting with her head bowed and hair obscuring her face. Although she technically represented herself, she did not participate in or ask questions during the proceedings.