The Case Against Adnan Syed is a true-crime docuseries that premiered on HBO on March 10, 2019. Written and directed by Amy J. Berg, the documentary delves into the shocking death of American-Korean high school student, Hae Min Lee followed by the conviction of Adnan Syed, the deceased’s ex-boyfriend.
As new information was discovered in 2022, which significantly altered the case, a follow-up series is set to premiere on HBO on September 18, 2025. This follow-up serves as an epilogue to the story revolving around Adnan Syed and also explores what happened after the documentary was first released in 2019. Amid this, here’s everything to know about the real case and where Adnan Syed is today.
Hae Min Lee’s death and Adnan Syed’s conviction in 1999
An American-Korean high school student, Hae Min Lee, went missing in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 1999. Nearly a month later, her body was found, and an autopsy revealed that the 18-year-old had been strangled to death. As per The Week, the data on the victim’s phone led the police to Adnan Syed, her ex-boyfriend. However, several reports also claim that the authorities were tipped off about Syed by an anonymous caller. After a year-long court battle, a seventeen-year-old Adnan Syed was found guilty of murder, robbery, and kidnapping and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
