"When I Drink, I Want to Appear Strong"... Owner of Dabangs Murderer Speaks Out

Arrested in Gangneung after Crimes in Goyang and Yangju
Police Apply for Arrest Warrant and Continue Investigation

Lee Mo (57), who is accused of consecutively murdering two women in their 60s who owned coffee shops in Goyang-si and Yangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, stated that he committed the crimes because he wanted to appear strong whenever he drank alcohol.

Lee was apprehended at around 10:45 p.m. on the 5th in Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province, and was transferred to the Ilsan district police station in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, where he is being investigated regarding the specific circumstances and motives of the crimes. It is reported that he did not remain silent during the initial police investigation and admitted to the crimes.

Lee Mo (57), who is accused of murdering two women working at a coffee shop, is being escorted to Ilsan Western Police Station in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in the early morning of the 6th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Lee stated, "Having spent a long time in prison, I felt weak and thought I was being looked down upon," and added, "Whenever I drank, I wanted to show a strong image, so I committed the crimes." He has more than five prior convictions and was released from prison in November last year. Although Lee did not answer why he chose coffee shops as the crime scenes, the police believe he revisited coffee shops because he had a past record of thefts, including stealing money from coffee shops where women were alone.

Earlier, Lee is accused of strangling and killing a woman in her 60s, Ms. A, who was operating alone at an underground coffee shop in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7 p.m. on December 30 last year. He is also accused of killing another woman in her 60s, Ms. B, the owner of a second-floor coffee shop in Gwangjeok-myeon, Yangju-si, at around 8:30 a.m. on the 5th, just six days later.

The police confirmed that the fingerprints collected at both crime scenes matched after conducting a detailed analysis based on the similarity of the crime methods and the suspect’s description. Subsequently, six days after the incidents, on the 5th, the police issued a public warrant for Lee and announced that they would pay up to 5 million won to anyone who provided decisive tips or reports leading to his arrest.

It is known that after committing the crimes in Goyang, Lee traveled around Yangju and Seoul using taxis and buses before moving to Gangwon Province. Detectives from the Ilsanseobu Police Station arrested Lee on the 5th while he was wandering around a traditional market in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. A police official stated, "We tracked him for about a week and became familiar with his gait and behavior through CCTV," adding, "We spotted Lee crossing the street on the opposite side and immediately arrested him."

At around 2 a.m. on the 6th, Lee was brought to the Ilsanseobu Police Station intoxicated. When asked by reporters if he had any sexual crime or theft motives, he replied, "No," and said, "I am very sorry to the bereaved families."

The police have applied for an arrest warrant for Lee and plan to further investigate the specific motives and circumstances of the crimes.