Inyoung You Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter After Urging Boyfriend Alexander Urtula To Kill Himself

Inyoung You pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on Thursday, after sending text messages urging her boyfriend to commit suicide. Her boyfriend, Alexander Urtula, killed himself on May 20, 2019 at age 22.

Originally, You pleaded not guilty. Then she changed her plea. Under the deal, You received a two-and-a-half-year suspended jail sentence and ten years of probation. She must participate in mental health treatment and community service. She is also prohibited from profiting from the case, and is barred from participating in any media coverage. If she adheres to the mandates of her probation, she will avoid incarceration.

“This agreement with defense counsel was made in close consultation with the Urtula family,” stated Boston District Attorney Rachael Rollins. “It is consistent with their desire to seek accountability and closure and to protect the legacy of Alexander, a loving son, brother, and uncle. They believe this is something Alexander would have wanted.”

The investigation reviewed over 47,000 text messages that You sent to Urtula. In many of these messages, she urged him to kill himself. In others, she also urged him to harm himself.

“You repeatedly told the victim that he should kill himself or die and waged a campaign of abuse that stripped the victim of his free will,” Rollins said.

The couple were together for 18 months. Rollins said that the investigation determined the relationship to be “tumultuous, dysfunctional and unhealthy.” It determined You to be “engaged in deeply disturbing and at times relentless verbally, physically and psychologically abusive behavior toward Mr. Urtula.”

Rollins added that evidence showed Urtula’s suicidal ideation “began only as a result of Ms. You’s near constant abuse.”

You’s attorney, Steven Kim, called the 23-year-old “a wonderful young woman who has deep, deep remorse” for her actions.

Urtula leapt to his death from a parking garage hours before his college graduation. His family described in a statement that they had driven to Boston College, expecting a day of joy. Instead, they learned that their son was dead.

“We bear no feelings of anger or reprisal,” stated the family. “We believe that time will take us through in the moments we mourn and celebrate his life.”