The Murder of Hae Min Lee — Serial Podcast Case

Hae Min Lee, a 17-year-old high school student in Baltimore, Maryland, was strangled and buried in Leakin Park on or around January 13, 1999. Her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2000 and sentenced to life in prison. The case gained global attention in 2014 when the Serial podcast — one of the most downloaded podcasts in history — re-examined the evidence and raised doubts about Syed's guilt. Syed's conviction was vacated in September 2022, but reinstated on appeal in March 2024. The case remains controversial, raising significant questions about forensic evidence and wrongful convictions.