"It appears there is more than one accomplice"
The 2016 wedding photo of Lee Eun-hae, the suspect in the 'Valley Murder Case.' / Photo by Online Community Capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Lee Eun-hae (31), the suspect in the 'Valley Murder Case,' was analyzed by Professor Lee Soo-jung of the Department of Criminal Psychology at Kyonggi University as "a process of selecting a target for the crime" in relation to her having been married three times in the past two years.
In an interview on the 18th with YTN Radio's 'Wise Radio Life,' Professor Lee said, "Assuming that Lee Eun-hae did not commit the crime alone, it seems that people who commit insurance fraud ultimately choose their victims."
She continued, "It appears that after searching for several partners and failing, the husband (victim Yoon) was the one who was most easily and perfectly deceived by Lee Eun-hae and became the victim. We also need to look into the process that led to the marriage before that."
Professor Lee added, "Since there is a strong likelihood that Lee Eun-hae did not act alone, it is difficult to accurately understand the facts unless there is sufficient additional investigation by the prosecution."
Recently, posts and photos appeared on online communities claiming that Lee Eun-hae held a wedding with another man four months before preparing a newlywed home with Yoon. She is also suspected of having held a wedding with another man in November 2015 but later breaking off the engagement.
Regarding Lee Eun-hae's current uncooperative attitude toward the prosecution's investigation, Professor Lee said, "It seems that there is more than one person who has provided assistance."
She explained, "For example, among the items used in the attempted murder of the husband, pufferfish poison appears. Pufferfish poison is not something you can get at just any restaurant," adding, "I think there are various undisclosed helpers like that. So, perhaps two people or Lee Eun-hae alone have to take the blame for the crime, which might be why she is unable to give a proper statement."
Regarding proving Lee Eun-hae's murder charge, Professor Lee said, "She did not push (Yoon) to make him fall. The key is how to prove the intent to kill regarding the part where (Yoon) jumped into the valley by his own foot," adding, "There should be a psychological analysis report on the relationship between Lee Eun-hae and her husband to determine whether she controlled the mind of a normally living person to the extent that he jumped by his own foot, and how she explains that."
She further explained, "The remaining part concerns the relationship with accomplices. It was not just the two of them, so further investigation is needed to find out who the other people really are."
Professor Lee also said that if the 'intent to kill' is not proven, the sentencing will vary widely. He said, "If someone jumps into the water and could have been saved but was not, it is an omission murder, and the sentence for murder can be applied. Otherwise, it is necessary to check to what extent the suicide was influenced, and an accident is also a possibility."
Earlier, the prosecution filed arrest warrants for Lee Eun-hae and Jo Hyun-soo, suspects in the valley murder case, on the morning of the previous day. The substantive hearing for the arrest warrants will be held at 3:30 p.m. on the same day at the Incheon District Court. The prosecution applied charges of murder, attempted murder, and violation of the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act against the two.
They are suspected of killing Lee Eun-hae's husband Yoon on June 30, 2019, at around 8:24 p.m. in Yongsogye Valley, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province. They are also suspected of attempting to kill Yoon in February and May of the same year by feeding him food mixed with pufferfish poison and other substances or by drowning him in a fishing spot.
The prosecution is conducting an investigation, judging that this was a planned murder aimed at the 800 million won life insurance policy taken out in Yoon's name.
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