Bob Lee’s alleged killer quizzed the tech entrepreneur about “inappropriate” contact with his sister and drug use before the fatal stabbing in San Francisco, court documents revealed Friday.
Nima Momeni, who was arrested Thursday and is charged with Lee’s murder, appeared in court Friday for an initial hearing but did not enter a plea. His defense attorney and the prosecution had little to say about the events around the slaying.
The District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to deny Momeni bail while he faces charges, and the records lay out new details about the April 4 killing that left Lee with three fatal stab wounds.
The Lead Up
A longtime friend of Lee’s told police that he and Lee spent much of April 3 drinking with Nima Momeni's sister Khazar Momeni, according to court records. At some point, Lee and his friend went to 1 Hotel, where Lee was staying, and invited Khazar Momeni to join them. She declined.
While at the hotel, Lee allegedly had an argument with Nima Momeni about whether his sister was doing drugs or anything else inappropriate, documents say. The friend said Lee had to reassure Nima Momeni that nothing inappropriate had happened.
Lee and his friend continued to hang out until separating at around 12:30 a.m., when Lee went to Millennium Tower to visit Khazar Momeni. She is the registered owner of a unit in the upscale Downtown San Francisco building, according to property records. She is also the wife of a prominent San Francisco plastic surgeon, Dr. Dino Elyassnia.
Court documents note that Lee’s friend did not know if Khazar Momeni and Lee were having an intimate relationship, but he told police her marriage seemed to be in trouble.
The following morning, the friend called to ask Khazar Momeni if Lee went to her apartment. She told the friend he stopped by "for a second," but she fell asleep and didn't know when Lee left.
Lee's Final Moments
Footage retrieved by police from Millennium Tower shows Nima Momeni getting out of a white BMW Z4 after arriving at the high-rise at 8:31 p.m., according to court records. A little more than four hours later, at 12:39 a.m., Lee arrived at the tower.
Shortly after 2 a.m., both Lee and Nima Momeni were seen on camera taking an elevator to the building's lobby before getting into the suspect’s BMW and leaving.
Additional footage obtained by police shows Lee appearing to be stabbed under the Bay Bridge on Main Street, the documents say. The footage allegedly shows a BMW and the red glow of tail lights, suggesting the vehicle was parked. Based on the clothing they were wearing when leaving Millennium Tower, police believe Lee and Nima Momeni were the two people seen standing outside of the car.
At one point, the pair move closer together before Lee walks away, appearing to be wounded. Nima Momeni allegedly walks to a fence—which is where police found a silver and black knife, the suspected murder weapon—before getting back in the BMW and speeding away.
Lee was stabbed three times—once in the hip and twice in the chest, according to court records. One stab wound penetrated his heart and killed him. Police found what they believe to be the murder weapon, a 4-inch knife, in a nearby parking lot with blood on it.
“The defendant not only drove victim to a secluded area in the opposite direction of his hotel, but also brought a kitchen knife with him,” prosecutors said in court records. “Defendant did not use some type of pocket knife, but a cooking knife from an apartment kitchen. This was a planned and deliberate attack.”
Surveillance footage early on April 4 shows Lee frantically seeking help and attempting to use his phone after the stabbing. He managed to call 911 and was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died from his wounds.
During an investigation into the killing, police were able to unlock Lee’s phone and found he had a FaceTime call with Khazar Momeni, according to court records. The documents do not say when that conversation occurred.
The timing of communications between Lee and Khazar Momeni was not explicitly noted in the court documents, but at one point, she texted him: “Just wanted to make sure your doing OK Cause I know nima came wayyyyyy down hard on you And thank you for being such a classy man handling it with class Love you Selfish pricks.”