'Decision on Public Disclosure of Personal Information for 20s Male Who Killed Ex-Lover's Family Under Protection to Be Made Tomorrow'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The police are set to review whether to publicly disclose the identity of a man in his 20s who visited the home of a woman he had previously dated and killed her family.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on the 13th that it will hold a personal information disclosure review committee on the 14th regarding Mr. Lee (26) in connection with the villa murder case in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu. The exact time and location will not be disclosed to ensure fairness and independence of the review. The police will also consider whether to change or add charges related to Lee’s murder and attempted murder allegations.

Lee is accused of visiting a villa in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, where Ms. A (21) lived, on the afternoon of the 10th and stabbing her mother (49) and younger brother (13) in the chest and neck with a weapon. They were immediately taken to the hospital, but the mother eventually passed away. The younger brother is still receiving treatment in the intensive care unit due to severe bleeding. Lee broke into the second floor of a neighboring house, hid in the master bedroom wardrobe, and was arrested on the spot as a suspect at 2:51 p.m., about 20 minutes after police arrived.

During police questioning, Lee stated that he did not initially target Ms. A’s family. However, the police are investigating the possibility that Lee committed the crime out of revenge, harboring resentment over being reported. It was also found that Lee possessed another weapon besides the one used in the crime. Prior to this incident, there were no reports to the police regarding stalking by Lee.

It was determined that Lee observed residents entering and exiting Ms. A’s residence to find out the password to the shared entrance door. The police have secured statements regarding how Lee obtained the address and are investigating whether he used illegal methods such as hiring a private investigator.

Lee had been under police investigation even before this crime. On the 6th, when Ms. A’s father could not contact her, he reported to the police suspecting that his daughter was being held captive, prompting the police to start locating her. Tracking revealed that they were in the Cheonan area of Chungnam Province, and police dispatched officers to the scene, but Lee and Ms. A were not found there. The police later heard from a local source that they were in Daegu and found them there. Ms. A reportedly testified to the police that she had been held captive and sexually assaulted.

The police did not arrest Lee, judging there was no urgency to obtain an arrest warrant because they had secured Lee’s residence and phone number, and Lee had agreed to voluntary accompaniment and voluntary submission of his mobile phone. Subsequently, the Cheonan Seobuk Police Station took over the case and began an investigation.

After returning to Seoul, Ms. A became a protected person and was provided with a smartwatch. However, four days after this, Lee came to Seoul and committed the crime. Although Ms. A was under protection, it appears that no separate protective measures were taken for her family.