Shraman Mitra
In 1993, when Hang Lee disappeared after stepping out of her Saint Paul, Minnesota, home, she left her brother, Koua, with a cryptic message. However, even with Hang’s family members and the police combing through the local areas, there was no news about the missing teenager. Crime Junkie’s ‘MISSING: Hang Lee’ chronicles the mysterious disappearance and follows the ensuing investigation that tried its best to get to the bottom of the matter.
Hang Lee Vanished From Her Home
Hang Lee was a 17-year-old Highland Park High School senior who resided with her family in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Hang was quite close to her loved ones, especially her brother, Koua Lee, and had great aspirations for the future. Moreover, she could not wait to graduate high school and take on the world. Described as a metalhead who also worked at a local cafe for some pocket money, Hang was loved by one and all.
Surprisingly, on the night of January 12, 1993, Hang called her employer on the phone and explained that she was going to attend a job interview. Moreover, while stepping out that same night with her friend, Nikki, Hang met her brother, Koua, and reportedly said, “If I don’t come home, come and look for me because I don’t trust Nikki.” Although this was a strange request to make, Koua did not think much of it and went to sleep. However, the following morning, he noticed that his sister had not returned home and immediately decided to confront Nikki.
Strangely, Nikki claimed to have no idea about the disappearance and had no idea where Hang was at that time. Anxious and worried, Hang’s family reported her missing and brought the authorities up to speed. Incidentally, reports mentioned that Hang had run away from home prior to her disappearance. Moreover, when questioned by the police, Nikki stated that when she dropped Hang off, she was with a few “white friends,” making authorities believe that the 17-year-old might have run away with them. Hence, the case reportedly sat dormant for six months as the police did not classify it as a missing person.
Nevertheless, Hang’s family was determined to get to the bottom of the matter. Once they began posting flyers around town, authorities took up the case seriously and brought in Nikki for further questioning. That was when she told them that on the night of Hang’s disappearance, she and her friend had met Mark Steven Wallace, the one who offered the interview. Moreover, Nikki claimed that Mark had dropped her off before driving off with Hang in his car. However, when interrogated, Mark denied all involvement in the crime and insisted that he had no idea where the missing teenager was.
Hang Lee is Presumed Deceased, But Her Body is Still Missing
Unfortunately, Hang Lee has been missing to this very day, even though the police still classify her case as an active investigation. Moreover, Hang’s family has conducted a spirit release ceremony for her, accepting that she is no more. When the police began looking into Mark Steven Wallace since he was arguably the last one to see her alive, they found out that he had two rape convictions to his name. Hence, they focused their investigation on him and even combed through his truck, office, and house, but to no avail. There was no evidence to tie him to the crime, and Mark kept insisting on his innocence.
Subsequently, the case sat without any progress till 2009, when Mark’s mother’s neighbor reported that he was surprised to find a garage constructed quite quickly on her property in 2004. The police gathered search warrants for the garage and even went through it with sniffer dogs, but nothing came of that investigation. In 2017, Mark was then arrested for an unrelated crime. Around the same time, Hang’s family held a spirit release ceremony for the teenager, finally accepting that she had passed on from this world.
Nevertheless, Hang’s brother refused to give up on his quest to find answers. Therefore, with continued investigations at his behest, the police decided to do something once they learned Mike was nearing his release from prison in connection with the aforementioned unrelated crime in 2019. That’s when he was committed to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program in Moose Lake following some testimonies from both the prosecution and law enforcement officials.
Mark Steven Wallace Remains Civilly Committed
Although it’s true that Mark Steven Wallace has always vehemently maintained his innocence concerning Hang Lee’s disappearance and assumed death, he is believed to be dangerous. In fact, owing to his past kidnapping as well as sexual offenses, a judge ultimately ruled he’s a “sexually dangerous person” and a “sexually psychopathic personality.” He was thus ordered to remain at the Moose Lake facility until fully rehabilitated, which essentially means a life term, especially as only 16 individuals to have ever received such a verdict have ever been discharged. He thus remains here to this day.
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