"'Valley Murder' Victim Could Not Swim at All... Panicked, Trembled with Fear"

Testimony of Former Employee of Water Leisure Company at 8th Trial Session

Suspects Lee Eun-hae (31, left) and Jo Hyun-soo (30) in the 'Valley Murder' case are entering the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the afternoon of April 19 to attend a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review). [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Court testimony revealed that the victim of the 'Gapyeong Valley Murder' case, Yoon Mo (39 years old at the time of death), could not swim at all and was extremely afraid of water.

On the 18th, the 15th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Gyu-hoon) conducted witness questioning during the 8th trial of Lee Eun-hae (31) and her accomplice Jo Hyun-soo (30), who were charged with murder and attempted murder.

On that day, a former employee A of a water leisure company in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, appeared as a witness for the prosecution. This company was a place where Lee, Jo, and the victim Yoon had visited several times to ride water play equipment.

A testified, "The victim was someone who was very afraid of water," and added, "When she fell into the water while wakeboarding, she kept flailing even though she was wearing a life jacket." He continued, "Having been a swimmer in the past, I know people who like water and those who are afraid of it," and testified, "(Yoon) was not just normally afraid but was literally in a panic state, unable to do anything, and trembled with fear when rescued from the water."

A also said that Lee forced Yoon to keep wakeboarding, and during this process, the accomplice Jo encouraged her from the side. When asked by the prosecution, "Did Lee say, 'Oppa, you have to learn wakeboarding,' and did Jo say from the side, 'Brother, ride it. Why are you embarrassed?'" he answered, "Yes."

A said, "The victim told me, 'I can't swim. I'm afraid of water,'" and added, "Lee forced her, and it seems she played in the water because she wanted to get along with Jo and others." When the prosecution asked, "Why did you think it was forced?" A testified, "Even though the victim did not want to ride, she was told to keep riding." When asked by the prosecution, "Did the victim do everything Lee told her to do?" he replied, "It seems she did almost everything."

A added, "After hearing from the company president that the victim had died, the staff talked among themselves that it seemed like they killed a 'water buffalo' type victim to commit insurance fraud."

The prosecution believes that Lee and Jo killed Yoon, who could not swim, by forcing her to jump from a 4-meter-high rock into a 3-meter-deep valley pool without rescue equipment. The prosecution's judgment is that the two committed a premeditated crime aiming for the 800 million won life insurance money taken out in Yoon's name.

Earlier, Lee was arrested and indicted on charges including murdering her husband Yoon on June 30, 2019, around 8:24 p.m. at Yongsogye Valley in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, along with her lover Jo. Lee and Jo disappeared before the prosecution's second investigation on December 14 last year but were caught by the police near Samsong Station in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, in an officetel four months later in April.