Current Events > Man pleads guilty to 4 Asian spa killings in Atlanta, sentenced to life

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Ludwig_Rinehart
07/27/21 2:49:46 PM
#1:


A man accused of killing eight people, most of them women of Asian descent, at Atlanta-area massage businesses pleaded guilty to murder Tuesday in four of the killings and was handed four sentences of life without parole.
Robert Aaron Long, 22, still faces the death penalty in the four other deaths, which are being prosecuted in a different county. The string of shootings at three different businesses in March ignited outrage and fueled fear among Asian Americans, who were already facing increased hostility at the time linked to the coronavirus pandemic. Many were particularly upset when authorities suggested Longs crimes were not racially motivated but instead born of a sex addiction, which is not recognized as an official disorder.
In comments sure to further frustrate those who believe Long targeted Asian women, a prosecutor reiterated Tuesday that Cherokee County investigators saw no evidence of racial bias. Thats at odds with the hate crime enhancement that Long, who is white, faces just miles away in the four deaths in Atlanta.
This was not any kind of hate crime, District Attorney Shannon Wallace said.
On March 16, Long shot and killed four people, three of them women and two of Asian descent, at Youngs Asian Massage in Cherokee County, according to police accounts. A fifth person was wounded. Long then drove to Atlanta, where he shot and killed three women at Gold Spa before going across the the street to Aromatherapy Spa and fatally shooting another woman, police have said. All of the Atlanta victims were of Asian descent.
In Atlanta, Long could be sentenced to death if convicted in the four deaths. There, he also faces charges of aggravated assault and domestic terrorism in addition to murder, and prosecutors have said they will seek to have the deaths classified as a hate crime.
Wallace explained that Cherokee County prosecutors came to a different conclusion. When Long walked through the first spa shooting anyone and everyone he saw, Wallace said he told investigators he was motivated by a sex addiction and his desire to eliminate sources of temptation at businesses where he engaged in sex acts. Investigators interviewed people whod known him for years, including three of Asian descent, who said theyd never heard him say anything derogatory about Asians or any other racial or ethnic group, Wallace said.
As for gender bias, Wallace said seeking a hate crime enhancement based on hatred of women would not have significantly extended his sentence.
The American Psychiatric Association does not recognize sex addiction in its main reference guide for mental disorders. While some people struggle to control their sexual behaviors, its often linked to other recognized disorders or moral views about sexuality, said David Ley, clinical psychologist and author of The Myth of Sex Addiction.
Wallace said prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty if Long didnt plead guilty. All relatives of the victims theyve been able to contact supported the plea deal in the interest of swift justice, she added.
Reached by phone, Michael Webb, the ex-husband of victim Xiaojie Emily Tan, said the family was trying to debrief after the hearing and would have more to say at a news conference later. But he said they were very satisfied with the plea.
Bonnie Michels, whose husband of 24 years, Paul, was the first person shot and killed, told the judge about the hole in her life left by his death.
He loved life. He still had so many years left to enjoy it, she said. A part of me died with him that day. I am shattered.
Elcias Rocendo Hernandez Ortiz, who was shot in the face but survived, also addressed the court, speaking in Spanish. He said it has been very hard for his family and he feels for the families of those who didnt survive.
Honestly, this man, why didnt he think before killing so many people? I only want justice, he said through a translator.
The prosecutor said the defendant signed a plea agreement admitting to all charges in Cherokee County, where he was accused of malice murder, felony murder, attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault. Cherokee County Superior Court Chief Judge Ellen McElyea accepted the agreement, handing him four sentences of life without parole plus an additional 35 years, all to run consecutively.
Those killed at the Cherokee County spa were: Tan, 49; Daoyou Feng, 44; Delaina Yaun, 33; and Paul Michels, 54. The Atlanta victims were: Suncha Kim, 69; Soon Chung Park, 74; Hyun Jung Grant, 51; and Yong Ae Yue, 63.
Long said he had planned to kill himself that day and went to the massage businesses thinking that paying for sex which he considered wrong would push him to do it.
I was scared of killing myself and wanted to try to overcome that so I could, he told McElyea on Tuesday.
But at some point while sitting in his car outside the first spa, he decided to kill the people inside.
In a lengthy interview with detectives after he was apprehended in south Georgia, Long told them of his struggles with pornography and sex. He believed he was an addict, and felt tremendous guilt and shame when he viewed porn or engaged in sexual acts at massage businesses, Wallace said.
Long said he was driven by a desire to punish the people who worked there.
Long is scheduled to appear again next month in Fulton County, where District Attorney Fani Willis filed notice that she intends to seek what is called a hate crime sentence enhancement, as well as the death penalty.
Georgias new hate crimes law does not provide for a stand-alone hate crime. After a person is convicted of an underlying crime, a jury determines whether it was motivated by bias, which carries an additional penalty.
Police said that after the shootings at the two Atlanta spas, Long got back into his car, and authorities said he intended to carry out similar crimes in Florida.
By then, Longs parents had called authorities after recognizing their son in images from security video that the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office posted on social media. His parents were already tracking his movements through an application on his phone so they would know if he visited massage businesses, the prosecutor said, and that enabled authorities to find him.
State Rep. Bee Nguyen, the first Vietnamese American to serve in the Georgia House and a frequent advocate for women and communities of color, said the shootings appeared to be at the intersection of gender-based violence, misogyny and xenophobia.

https://apnews.com/article/shootings-georgia-massage-business-shootings-4c9d611102b25b49b8bfee276278c472

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Giant_Aspirin
07/27/21 3:05:21 PM
#2:


good. lock him up and keep him there as long as possible.

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Tony_Biggie_Pun
07/27/21 3:06:57 PM
#3:


Ludwig_Rinehart posted...
This was not any kind of hate crime, District Attorney Shannon Wallace said.

That's a damn lie. Crazy that she said this at least he's getting life he should be getting the death penalty

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Lairen
07/27/21 3:07:23 PM
#4:


The idea of murdering even 3 people and not getting death is a joke.

This enforces the idea that after you kill one just go to town cause the penalty will be the same and you probably wont get death so.

Such a joke.

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CanuckCowboy
07/27/21 3:07:27 PM
#5:


Giant_Aspirin posted...
good. lock him up and keep him there as long as possible.

That about sums it up.

Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...
That's a damn lie. Crazy that she said this at least he's getting life he should be getting the death penalty


Also this.

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Ruvan22
07/27/21 3:07:39 PM
#6:


Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...
That's a damn lie. Crazy that she said this at least he's getting life he should be getting the death penalty

I mean he just had a bad day

/s
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Tony_Biggie_Pun
07/27/21 3:09:23 PM
#7:


He went on a murder spree at one Asian salon ridden drove miles away to kill 4 more Asians at another Asian spa. It's definitely obviously a hate crime

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Lairen
07/27/21 3:10:48 PM
#8:


Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...
He went on a murder spree at one Asian salon ridden drove miles away to kill 4 more Asians at another Asian spa. It's definitely obviously a hate crime

Of spas, clearly. /s

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Ratchetrockon
07/27/21 3:13:19 PM
#10:


They should torture him everyday with bullet ants or something similar at least

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RiKuToTheMiGhtY
07/27/21 3:17:06 PM
#11:


This was a hate crime and he should have been given the death sentence for his crimes. I hope this loser gets the worst treatment in the big house.

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ColdRainAndSnow
07/27/21 3:19:30 PM
#12:


Sad story. Trump is to blame for a lot of the hate Asians have been getting

#StopAsianHate

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VipaGTS
07/27/21 3:21:46 PM
#14:


fan357 posted...
How is this a hate crime? You guys are just pulling this out of your ass.
So does pretending to be stupid and dense do anything for you?

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UnholyMudcrab
07/27/21 3:22:09 PM
#15:


Tony_Biggie_Pun posted...
he should be getting the death penalty

No one should get the death penalty
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RiKuToTheMiGhtY
07/27/21 3:23:02 PM
#16:


fan357 posted...
How is this a hate crime? You guys are just pulling this out of your ass.
He specifically targeted asian spas and asian women, how is this not computing for you.

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EmbraceOfDeath
07/27/21 3:23:19 PM
#17:


Lairen posted...
The idea of murdering even 3 people and not getting death is a joke.

This enforces the idea that after you kill one just go to town cause the penalty will be the same and you probably wont get death so.

Such a joke.
Shut the fuck up and stop supporting state sanctioned murder.

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fan357
07/27/21 3:24:19 PM
#18:


VipaGTS posted...
So does pretending to be stupid and dense do anything for you?

Explain how its a hate crime. He was looking for sex then decided to murder instead. He shot whoever he saw.

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Heartomaton
07/27/21 3:24:23 PM
#19:


Shoot him.

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fan357
07/27/21 3:26:15 PM
#20:


RiKuToTheMiGhtY posted...
He specifically targeted asian spas and asian women, how is this not computing for you.

He shot everyone. Also spas are a hot spot for prostitution. We had quite a few get busted here several years ago.

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Solar_Crimson
07/27/21 3:26:20 PM
#21:


Good. Fuck him.

fan357 posted...
How is this a hate crime? You guys are just pulling this out of your ass.
He specifically targeted Asians and Asian establishments.


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Lairen
07/27/21 3:29:05 PM
#22:


EmbraceOfDeath posted...
Shut the fuck up and stop supporting state sanctioned murder.

Stop defending a murderer.

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Tony_Biggie_Pun
07/27/21 3:31:17 PM
#23:


UnholyMudcrab posted...
No one should get the death penalty

A lot of people should. However the death penalty has been so misused in the USA I see why many feel it should be banned outright

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Protopet
07/27/21 3:32:01 PM
#24:


Lairen posted...
The idea of murdering even 3 people and not getting death is a joke.

This enforces the idea that after you kill one just go to town cause the penalty will be the same and you probably wont get death so.

Such a joke.

I agree, but tbh, one first degree murder fatality should be enough for the death penalty

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Umbreon
07/27/21 3:32:12 PM
#25:


Good. He deserved the harshest possible penalty for his hate crime.

Once again, fuck the cop who tried to downplay his actions as "a bad day". We know if he was black you'd be telling us about the time he got detention, not suggesting he had "sex addiction".

If this turns into the death penalty even better, but I'm satisfied with a life sentence. That's a nice permanent concequence.

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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:32:55 PM
#26:


Solar_Crimson posted...
Good. Fuck him.

He specifically targeted Asians and Asian establishments.

prove it? (that he chose locations based on race)
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Lairen
07/27/21 3:34:01 PM
#27:


Anyone who kills 2 people should automatically get the death penalty.

Otherwise you are incentivising any mass murder/shooting.

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UnholyMudcrab
07/27/21 3:35:19 PM
#28:


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Lairen
07/27/21 3:36:19 PM
#29:


UnholyMudcrab posted...
Curb your bloodlust, my dude

He didnt. And here you are defending your friend.

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spikethedevil
07/27/21 3:38:15 PM
#30:


Fam_Fam posted...
prove it? (that he chose locations based on race)

Fuck off with this disgusting shit posting.

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RiKuToTheMiGhtY
07/27/21 3:38:44 PM
#31:


This guy killed only asian people on purpose, he deserves to get the death sentence and people need to take a strong stance in harsh punishment for hate crimes.

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Umbreon
07/27/21 3:39:10 PM
#32:


Lairen posted...
He didnt. And here you are defending your friend.

Mighty confused why you think people who don't have the stomach for the death penalty is "defending" this, but you have no words for the jokers who think the killer didn't commit a hate crime?

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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:40:12 PM
#33:


spikethedevil posted...
Fuck off with this disgusting shit posting.

so you have nothing?
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spikethedevil
07/27/21 3:41:48 PM
#34:


Fam_Fam posted...
so you have nothing?

He literally targeted only Asians what more do you need? So as I said fuck off with disgusting shit posting over murder victims.

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Lairen
07/27/21 3:42:38 PM
#35:


Umbreon posted...
Mighty confused why you think people who don't have the stomach for the death penalty is "defending" this, but you have no words for the jokers who think the killer didn't commit a hate crime?

This is so obviously a hate crime but at 8 people we should be killing him and not squabbling over exactly why he killed 8 people.

Oh its a hate crime? Well then definitely the death penalty now.....

But you want to save him so.

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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:45:24 PM
#36:


spikethedevil posted...
He literally targeted only Asians what more do you need? So as I said fuck off with disgusting shit posting over murder victims.

correlation does not imply causation. you need to prove race was the determining factor to charge him with a hate crime. is there evidence of that beyond a reasonable doubt, or is there not? I suspect the answer is no if he wasn't charged with that.
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CanuckCowboy
07/27/21 3:45:52 PM
#37:


Fam_Fam posted...
correlation does not imply causation. you need to prove race was the determining factor to charge him with a hate crime. is there evidence of that beyond a reasonable doubt, or is there not? I suspect the answer is no if he wasn't charged with that.

Please, please just shut the fuck up.

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Lairen
07/27/21 3:46:23 PM
#38:


Yeah, man. Just keep tacking on life sentences. Thatll do fuck all.

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RiKuToTheMiGhtY
07/27/21 3:46:50 PM
#39:


@Fam_Fam

Is this the hill you want to die on ?, defending this racist murderer ?

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Zikten
07/27/21 3:47:30 PM
#40:


It was a hate crime. For some reason Republicans jumped on this case to make it political whether or not he targeted based on race. He did though. He went directly between multiple Asian spas and ignored non Asian spas on his way there. This proves it was about race
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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:47:55 PM
#41:


RiKuToTheMiGhtY posted...
@Fam_Fam

Is this the hill you want to die on ?, defending this shit bag racist murderer ?

i'm not defending him. he's a POS who deserves life. what I'm saying is there's a thing called evidence that is used to determine charges/sentencing, and people want to attack me for pointing out that the evidence isn't there for what they are claiming. or if there is, they aren't presenting it.
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Umbreon
07/27/21 3:48:25 PM
#42:


Lairen posted...
This is so obviously a hate crime

So why aren't you paying attention to the two insisting it's not?

Lairen posted...
But you want to save him so.


You realize I'm actually for the death penalty right? I just see life in prison as the acceptable alternative, anything else being a slap on the wrist for such a horrible crime.


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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:49:09 PM
#43:


Zikten posted...
It was a hate crime. For some reason Republicans jumped on this case to make it political whether or not he targeted based on race. He did though. He went directly between multiple Asian spas and ignored non Asian spas on his way there. This proves it was about race

question: did he ever go to any of these spas before?
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spikethedevil
07/27/21 3:49:10 PM
#44:


Zikten posted...
It was a hate crime. For some reason Republicans jumped on this case to make it political whether or not he targeted based on race. He did though. He went directly between multiple Asian spas and ignored non Asian spas on his way there. This proves it was about race

@Fam_Fam


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spikethedevil
07/27/21 3:49:34 PM
#45:


Fam_Fam posted...
question: did he ever go to any of these spas before?

Why does that matter?

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CanuckCowboy
07/27/21 3:49:40 PM
#46:


Fam_Fam posted...
i'm not defending him. he's a POS who deserves life. what I'm saying is there's a thing called evidence that is used to determine charges/sentencing, and people want to attack me for pointing out that the evidence isn't there for what they are claiming. or if there is, they aren't presenting it.

How about this: you explain why he targeted Asians at Asian businesses if it wasn't racism?

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Lairen
07/27/21 3:49:53 PM
#47:


Umbreon posted...
So why aren't you paying attention to the two insisting it's not?

You realize I'm actually for the death penalty right? I just see life in prison as the acceptable alternative, anything else being a slap on the wrist for such a horrible crime.

Yeah man: lets do this. If hes convicted of hate crimes hell get more time! Whoopdy fucking doo. And you can flex on some dudes on a video game sites social board!

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Heartomaton
07/27/21 3:49:57 PM
#48:


Do not give a shit what his motivations were.

He killed four people.

Put a bullet through his skull and toss his carcass in an incinerator.

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Umbreon
07/27/21 3:50:59 PM
#49:


Also to everyone else...

I recommend you just tag and report (Explain why, mods need details if they're going in blind). Bad faiths want the topic to be about them, don't allow it.

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Fam_Fam
07/27/21 3:50:59 PM
#50:


CanuckCowboy posted...
How about this: you explain why he targeted Asians at Asian businesses if it wasn't racism?

a reason that would make sense to me is that he attacked places that he went to and/or was interested in going to because he blamed them for his "sex addiction" (which is BS, I know). I don't know if he did/did not ever go to those ones.
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Cheetaluv
07/27/21 3:51:34 PM
#51:


You didn't know, if you do something toward another race and you're white. You are a racist, that how it works.

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spikethedevil
07/27/21 3:51:37 PM
#52:


Fam_Fam posted...
a reason that would make sense to me is that he attacked places that he went to and/or was interested in going to because he blamed them for his "sex addiction" (which is BS, I know). I don't know if he did/did not ever go to those ones.


You are really reaching now.


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