"'Valley Murder' Lee Eun-hae, Suspicious for Not Contacting Family After Husband's Death, Testimony Emerges"

▲ Lee Eun-hae (left) and accomplice Jo Hyun-soo, suspects in the 'Valley Murder' case [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Two companions who were with Lee Eun-hae (31) at the scene of the "valley murder" case appeared in court as witnesses on the 19th and testified about the situation immediately after the accident, saying, "It was strange that Lee did not contact the bereaved family."

On this day at the Incheon District Court, during the 9th trial of Lee and her accomplice Jo Hyun-soo (30), Lee's junior from middle school, Mr. A, and his coworker Mr. B appeared as witnesses for the prosecution.

At the scene of the valley murder incident in June 2019, there were seven people in total, including Lee and Jo. The two who appeared as witnesses said that Lee's husband Yoon (39 at the time of death) was sleeping in a vehicle parked near the valley when he was diving.

Mr. A recalled during the witness examination, "Lee's husband seemed to be afraid of water, and I never saw him come out of the tube," adding, "Jo and the other male companions were good swimmers."

Mr. B responded to the prosecutor's question, "Did Jo say to the victim, 'Brother, if you're a man, you have to dive at least once'?" by saying, "I think he said something like that. The conversation flowed toward going into the water."

Mr. A said, "Before the accident, around 6 p.m., I was in the vehicle with Mr. B, so I did not witness the accident scene," and added, "When other companions called us down to the valley, Jo was underwater wearing goggles, and Lee was crying and shouting 'Oppa' (older brother/boyfriend)."

He said he first learned that Lee and Yoon were husband and wife when he heard Lee say "husband" to the 119 paramedics after the accident.

When asked by the prosecutor, "Did the witness inform the victim's sister about the accident?" Mr. A answered "Yes," and then testified, "I asked Lee for contact information. No one was contacting the family, and I thought it was strange, wondering 'If he's the husband, why isn't he contacting them?'"

Also, when the prosecutor asked, "After the deceased passed away, you and Mr. B drove the deceased's vehicle home separately, and Lee and Jo, who followed, took the vehicle, right?" he answered "Yes."

Regarding the question, "Do you remember Jo saying to Mr. B, 'Brother, see you next time'?" Mr. A said, "It was absurd to say 'see you next time' when someone had died."

Mr. A, who first met Lee in the first year of middle school, said, "Lee told me that the deceased was a client," and added, "I heard from Lee in the past that if the client provided financial support, they would meet and have coffee together as a kind of 'dating agency' relationship."

Lee entered the courtroom holding a thick stack of papers, and Jo also appeared in court with a notebook, watching the witness examination with a blank expression.

Lee was arrested and indicted on charges of murder and attempted murder for killing her husband Yoon on June 30, 2019, at around 8:24 p.m. in Yongsogye Valley, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, along with her lover Jo.

The prosecution judged that they forced Yoon, who could not swim, to jump from a 4-meter-high rock into a 3-meter-deep valley pool without rescue equipment, resulting in his death. The prosecution concluded that Lee and Jo planned the crime aiming for the 800 million won life insurance money taken out in Yoon's name.

Lee and Jo disappeared before the prosecution's second investigation on December 14 last year and were arrested by the police four months later in April near Samsong Station in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, at an officetel.