Bob Lee’s family faces off against alleged killer Nima Momeni in San Francisco court
Around 20 members of murdered Cash App founder Bob Lee’s family showed up to a San Francisco court Tuesday to see the man charged with his murder arraigned.
The family members came out in force but remained orderly as IT consultant Nima Momeni — who has been charged with stabbing Lee to death on April 4 — was brought into San Francisco Superior Court wearing his jail-issued orange sleeved shirt and matching pants.
At the hearing, Momeni’s attorney, Paula Canny, asked the judge to reschedule the arraignment for May 2 over “discovery issues,” saying she had not received or had time to review crucial evidence in the case. After the hearing, she told reporters Momeni intends to plead not guilty to the murder.
Lee, 43, was stabbed multiple times in the early hours of April 4, with police alleging the two men had argued after fighting about the suspect’s sister, Khazar Elyassnia.
Elyassnia was not at court Tuesday but Momeni’s mother, Mahnaz Momeni, attended to support of her son, clad in all black with dark sunglasses.
San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Omid Talai condemned the judge’s decision to grant the defense more time to prepare after the arraignment had already been postponed once.
Police claim that before Lee was murdered, the two men had talked on the phone about Elyassnia, with the suspect grilling the victim about whether they were “doing drugs or anything inappropriate.”
Lee denied anything had happened between them. However, an unnamed witness who heard the men’s conversation told investigators it was unclear to them if Lee and Elyassnia had an “intimate relationship.”
Speaking outside court, Canny denied any realtionship between Lee and Elyassnia. She added: “I know a lot … but it would not be appropriate to discuss it right know. I don’t want to do anything that hurts another person.
“We are making sure to be super sensative to Bob Lee’s family.”
Lee’s ex-wife, Krista, however, told KTVU that the sister may hold the key to why the fatal stabbing took place, and confirmed Elyassnia was acquainted with the Cash App founder.
Lee, a father of two, reportedly stumbled around begging for help before collapsing at 403 Main St., near the Bay Bridge — just 16 minutes from Elyassnia’s apartment.
Video footage from Elyassnia’s apartment building confirms Lee and Momeni were at her place in the early morning of April 4 before driving off together.
Momeni allegedly brought a knife with him from his home, which police said makes clear the murder was “planned and deliberate.”
Documents filed with the court by authorities allege Momeni drove Lee to a “dark and secluded area” of San Francisco, where he stabbed him three times, including through the heart, with a kitchen knife.
Elyassnia texted Lee around the time of his murder to check in on him, the documents claim.
“Just wanted to make sure your doing ok Cause I know nima came wayyyyyy down hard on you,” she wrote.
“And thank you for being such a class man handling it with class. Love you Selfish pricks.”
Momeni was arrested on April 13. If convicted, he faces 26 years to life in prison.
