Son charged with killing mom from Morristown due in court Monday

Brandon Lee, 34, has confessed to killing his mother and girlfriend, according to authorities in N.C.
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By Peggy Carroll

Brandon Lee, whom police say admitted to killing both his mother, a former Morristown resident, and his girlfriend, is scheduled to make an appearance in a courtroom in Wake County, NC, on Monday to face two counts of murder.

Brandon Lee, 34, has confessed to killing his mother and girlfriend, according to authorities in N.C.
Brandon Lee, 34, has confessed to killing his mother and girlfriend, according to authorities in N.C.

Lee, 34, is accused of choking both his mother, Christa Lassiter Lee, 58, and his girlfriend, Krystal Juell Hylton, 28, last month.

He then called 911 to report the murders and confess. Police believe that Lee killed his mother, with whom he lived in an apartment in Cary, NC, on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, and then five days later, on Dec. 19, killed his girlfriend.

On that same day, he notified police of a couple of “pretty bad incidents” and confessed that he had committed them.

The women’s bodies were discovered the next day.  Police said Ms. Lee was found at her home, fully clothed, lying in a bathtub in a locked bathroom, with fresh ice on and around her.  Hylton’s body was located on the floor in her apartment.

“Give me the chair, whatever you need to do, this is a terrible tragedy that just happened.” —Brandon Lee, on 911 call.

Brandon Lee told police his dog was still in his mother’s apartment and he had been stopping by to feed it. He expressed concern about who would care for it.

The late Christa Lassiter Lee, a 1975 graduate of Morristown High School.
The late Christa Lassiter Lee, a 1975 graduate of Morristown High School. Police in NC say her son has confessed to her murder.

He also expressed a degree of remorse. On the tape of his 911 call, which has been made public,  Lee said: “Give me the chair, whatever you need to do, this a terrible tragedy that just happened.”

Christa Lee, the daughter of  Dr. James Lassiter, a Morristown dentist, and Betty Lassiter, was a 1975 graduate of Morristown High School. She and her identical twin, Leila, appeared on Soul Train, the popular music TV show, when they were in their teens. Leila died in a car accident at age 35.

Brandon Lee is being held without bail in the Wake County Detention Center.  Records show that he was arrested three times in the Raleigh area since late August.

In addition to the Monday hearing, he also has appearances scheduled on Jan. 15, 2016, for a charge of injuring personal property that Cary police made on Nov. 22; and March 8 on charges of trespassing and communicating threats on which Morrisville, NC, police arrested him on Dec. 14.

According to Christa Lee’s obituary, she served in the military after high school and was designated a Behavioral Science Specialist while studying psychology at the University of Maryland.  She met her first husband while stationed in Europe, and moved frequently between Europe, the continental U.S. and Hawaii.

Later, she held administrative positions at General Motors and Wyeth Healthcare. Christa Lee’s pastimes included reading, dancing, singing, concerts and animals; she found joy in music and enjoyed spontaneous trips to far-off concerts.

Christa Lee is survived by her husband, William D. Wilson Jr.; her mother, Elizabeth Lassiter; her brother, James J. Lassiter and his family; and her sister, Megan Thompson and her family. She also leaves behind her cherished dog, Jake.

Funeral arrangements are private; condolences may be sent to www.rowelanterman.com.

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